


Dumbledore's Girl Through and Through

by Vex_Matthewson



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adventure, Books 1 to 7, Canon Compliant, Eventual Romance, F/M, FemHarry/George Weasley - Freeform, Female Empowerment, Female Harry Potter, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Gen, Genderbending, Harriet Potter - Freeform, Harry Potter books, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:41:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 56,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25407085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vex_Matthewson/pseuds/Vex_Matthewson
Summary: Harriet Potter, the girl who lived, the chosen one, undesirable No 1 and, most importantly to her, Dumbledore's girl through and through.A collection of moments throughout the books, focusing on FemHarry/George Weasley pairing later on
Relationships: Harry Potter/George Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Comments: 52
Kudos: 213





	1. Harri Potter

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story focusing on how it may have been different if Harry was a girl and then in later chapters it will have a focus on the above pairing. Initially I thought it would be only a few moments from each book but the more I wrote the more I realised how much more interesting a female Harry Potter would be and the dynamics with Ron and Hermione.
> 
> This story was originally posted on Fanfiction but have decided to post it on here too (will post all 8 chapters available on FFNet as of now when publishing this story). 
> 
> I update every Saturday/Sunday and have several chapters ready in advanced. 
> 
> Let me know what you think and I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Vex
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Harry Potter and this is purely for fan enjoyment

Harriet began to panic as she looked around the bustling platforms of Kings Cross. She had no idea where she was going and all she could picture was the cackling faces of the Dursleys as they had driven off laughing at her. The guard had been no help either. A bubble of anxiety was rising in her as Hedwig began to squawk at passer-by's, she only had ten minutes to find the train before it left.

She anxiously tightened her pony tail, which was only just managing to tame her thick black hair. Aunt Petunia had always insisted she wear it up so no one could see what a bird's nest it was, as her aunt would put it.

As the clock continued to tick down, Harriet knew this had all been too good to be true, and sooner or later her bad luck would catch up with.

She was stuck between platforms 9 and 10 trying to work out what Hagrid had forgotten to tell her, wondering if she should get her wand out to tap on brick like he had done at the Leaky Cauldron. Just as she was about to pull her wand out, the conversation of a large group of red heads walking past caught her attention.

"-packed with muggles of course-"

Muggles? Wasn't that the word Hagrid had used to describe the Durselys?

Harriet was quick to push her trolley to follow and try and see if they too were struggling to find the train to Hogwarts. She looked closer at the family as she did, seeing they too had trunks and owls like her. Confidence building in her, she at least knew she was following the right people.

They came to a stop and Harriet stood close by enough to hear what they were saying. She heard the youngest boy out of the four ask what the platform was to the older woman, she assumed his mother. When the only young girl said 9 and ¾ Harriet almost gave a cry in relief. She watched closely as the woman instructed what looked like the oldest of the boys, Percy, to go first. Harriet watched him march towards platform 9 and 10 but then a group of tourists got on her way and next thing she knew, he was gone.

The next two boys were up, twins. Harriet found a smile come to her lips as the pair mocked their mother for not being able to tell them apart. This time, Harriet was determined to see how to get on to the platform. Both boys went one after the other but she was amazed to see as they approached the barrier between 9 and 10, they just seemed to vanish. It didn't make sense, where did they go?

Plucking up what courage she had Harriet decided it was time to ask for help and approached the plump woman with the remaining boy and little girl.

"Excuse me." Harriet managed to say once close enough. The woman turned to her and immediately her eyes softened as she gave a small smile.

"Hullo dear. First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new too." The kindness in her eyes was so foreign to Harriet after years at looking at Petunia's cold ones. Harriet turned her attention to the last boy, Ron, after his mother's introduction. He was tall, Harriet could tell because he was the same height as her and Dudley loved to make fun of how tall she was. He had freckles and a long nose with big hands and feet, and he too was thin like her, but she doubted it was for the same reasons.

"Yes I am." Harriet gave the older woman a smile. "I just—I just don't know how to find the train. And I don't want to miss it."

"Of course not dear." The woman again gave a friendly smile. "Not to worry. All you have to do it walk straight at the barriers between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit or a run if you're nervous. Go on now, before Ron."

"Thank you." Harriet gave them one last look before she put all her effort into pushing her trolley and running towards the wall.

Her face automatically scrunched up in anticipation of meeting a brick wall but instead no such thing happened. The noise around her changed and the sound of owls screeching and parents saying good bye to children surrounded her. She opened her eyes to see a glistening scarlet and black steam train sat at the platform. Her eyes looked up and saw the sign for platform 9 and ¾. Harriet was in awe as she walked alongside the train listening to a Neville boy talking about losing his toad. Another boy named Lee was being asked to show something. Harriet's eyes were wide as if trying to see everything.

She continued down the train until she came across an empty carriage. She made sure Hedwig was on first, the first birthday present she had ever truly loved. Make that the first of any type of present she had truly loved. Next she went to her trunk but no matter how much she heaved and pulled, she could not get the great thing up on to the train.

"Need a hand?"

Harriet looked up to see one of the red hair twins before looking down on her with a smile, trying not to laugh at her predicament.

"Yes please." She admitted.

"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!" The boy shouted over to his twin.

With the help of the two older boys, the trunk was quickly placed in the compartment. Harriet gave a sigh of relief. She moved her hand up to her face to wipe the sweat on her forehead, inadvertently pushing her fringe to the side and revealing the scar underneath to the twins.

"What's that?" One of the boys asked, pointing to Harriet's scar.

"Blimey" The other one said, also transfixed on Harriet's forehead. "Are you-"

"She is" said the first twin. "Aren't you?"

"Am what?" Harriet asked with worry. Her hand quickly coming to fix the fringe on her forehead to try and hide her scar. The Durselys had always made sure she had a fringe to hide the lightening shaped scar on her head and Harriet was only too happy to keep it covered thanks to all the teasing she got from Dudley and his gang at school about it. Looking at the twin's reaction to it, she was glad her fringe would continue to hide it from onlookers.

" _Harriet Potter"_ The twins chimed together.

"Oh…yeah, I am." Harriet mumbled. Her eyes looked to the floor, uneasy with the attention they were giving her. Thankfully she was saved though by the voice of their mother calling to them.

The pair quickly departed from the carriage and Harriet took a seat by the window. She listened to the family, unseen by them, as the group talked about leaving for Hogwarts and the twins threatening to send a toilet seat home to their sister.

Soon though the conversation turned to the twins as they described meeting her. She heard the young girl ask to come meet her on the train and Harriet could practically feel herself squirm in her seat. Though Hagrid had explained why everyone knew her, she didn't exactly want the attention. She had only been a baby after all when she had supposedly defeated You-Know-Who.

There was something else buggering her and she couldn't put her finger on it until she listened to the red-headed family talk about her, and that was her name. She didn't like that everyone seemed to know it, but it was more than that. When she had been at the Leaky Cauldron and everyone had come up to her, she couldn't help but flinch every time someone said her name. It made her think back to her Aunt ordering her to do something, or her Uncle chastising her for being stupid. Initially she thought she was being silly, but then it had happened again when the twins had stated who she was. And it was at that moment Harriet realised, she didn't really like being called Harriet Potter.

As the train began to move, Harriet looked at the window to watch as the kind woman from before waved after the train, and the young girl ran down the platform to run alongside for as long as she could. Harriet gave a sad smile and wondered if her parents would have done that if they had been alive to drop her off. She liked to think they would.

As houses swept past the window, the sadness was soon replaced by excitement as it finally seemed to sink in that she was going to Hogwarts. Harriet was going to learn magic and she wasn't going to see the Dursleys until Christmas, though she somewhat hoped there was a chance she would be able to stay over the Christmas break.

The door to her compartment sliding open caught her attention and she turned to see the youngest red-head boy from before stood at the entrance.

"Anyone sitting here?" He asked, pointing to the seats opposite her. "Everywhere else is full."

"No" Harriet replied with a shake of her head. The boy nodded and took a seat. She looked back at the window but when she felt him staring she turned to look back. The boy quickly looked out the window, blush creeping across his cheeks after being caught looking at her. Harriet gave a quiet sigh and hoped the rest of Hogwarts wasn't going to be like this.

"Hey Ron." One of the twins said as he approached the compartment door. The other was stood next to him. "Listen, we're going down the middle of the train – Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

"Right" Ron mumbled. Harriet was pretty sure he was as uninterested about seeing a massive spider as she was.

"Harriet did we introduce ourselves?" The other twin asked. She shook her head. "Well I'm George."

"And I'm Fred." The other said. The two just seemed to be like two sides of a coin, completely in sync with each other. "And this is our little brother Ron. See you later then."

They slid the compartment door shut and left the two first years alone.

"Are you really Harriet Potter?" Ron blurted out. A pink tinge once again came across his cheeks as the black-haired girl looked at him, embarrassed by his outburst.

"I am….though I'm not sure I like to be called that." Harriet gave a shrug.

"Well what do you like to be called?" Ron asked.

"I don't know. I've only just realised I don't like Harriet." She told him honestly.

"Why don't you shorten it?" Ron suggested. "I'm actually Ronald and my older brother is named William but everyone calls him Bill."

"Yeah that could work…but how do you shorten Harriet?"

The two were silent for a moment as they thought about a new name for her. Suddenly Ron's eyes went wide as it came to him.

"What about Harri?"

"Isn't that a boy's name?" The girl responded, pushing her round glasses up her face with a finger. It was a slightly sensitive subject for Harriet. The only reason people thought she was a girl was because of her hair, otherwise they wouldn't know. It wasn't exactly like she was in to the colour pink or wearing dresses, but always being stuck in Dudley's hand-me-downs didn't exactly let her express her own style or make her look like a girl.

"Not if you spell it with an 'i' instead of 'y'. There was a girl in my village that did that." Ron explained.

Harriet thought it over, her face scrunched up in concentration before it began to relax and she nodded her head.

"Harri…Harri Potter. I like it." Harri's face lit up with a smile. "Thanks Ron."

"You know when Fred and George said they had met you, I thought it was another one of their jokes." Ron admitted. He gave her a nervous glance before continuing. "And have you really got—you know…."

Ron pointed towards her forehead. Harri paused, she had learnt to be ashamed of her scar and her automatic response was to make sure her fringe wasn't leaving it exposed whenever anyone mentioned it and quickly move the conversation on. However, something in Ron's face stopped her, he wasn't here to make fun of her but was genuinely curious and after being so helpful with coming up with a name she liked, Harri felt she wanted to show Ron her scar.

"Oh yeah I do." She swept her fringe back and heard Ron give a small _wow_ under his breath. For the first time in her life she wasn't ashamed of the lightening shaped scar, and even shared a small smirk with her companion.

"And that's where You-Know-Who-?"

"Yes, but I don't remember any of it. I actually thought I had got it from a car crash until a month ago." Harri said with a shrug, her hand coming down to let her fringe hide the scar once again.

"You don't remember anything?"

"Nothing, well maybe a green light but that's about it." Harri admitted. Ron continued to stare at her but she was less uncomfortable with it this time. Ron seemed to realise what he was doing and quickly averted his gaze to look at the window. For a moment Harri wasn't sure if she should speak, throughout school no one had really talked to her like this without fear of Dudley picking on them. She didn't think anyone would want to be her friend. But then again that had been Harriet, the girl who lived with the Dursleys and wasn't a witch. Now she was Harri and she would be damned if she didn't at least try and make friends.

"Are all your family wizards?" Harri found herself asking.

And so the young 11 year olds began to chat about their families. Ron told Harri about all his siblings and Harri told him about the Dursleys and how she didn't even know she was a witch until recently. At the subject of pets Ron seemed to become embarrassed when he mentioned about not being able to afford an owl but Harri didn't care. It wasn't exactly she had been swimming in money before and it was only recently she had come in to some when Hagrid had taken her to Gringotts. Harri explained all this to Ron and told him about all the hand-me-downs she had from Dudley and how she didn't even think she had any clothes before that had specifically been bought for her.

They two continued to bond and it was the longest conversation Harri had ever had with someone her own age. When she had said Voldemort's name, Ron had gasped and Harri realised there was so much she didn't know about the wizarding world.

"I'm going to be the worst in class. I don't know anything about magic." Harri said, revealing her biggest fear at going to school.

"I wouldn't worry, no one really knows much about magic, even if they did grow up in a wizarding family." Ron reassured her. The two shared a smile and began to talk about what they were most looking forward to when a lady with a trolley appeared.

Harri couldn't help herself and ended up buying as many sweets as she could and sharing them with Ron who went on to explain all the different types of sweets to her. The train journey was going better than she hoped. She now had a small collection of chocolate frog cards and hadn't eaten anything too nasty from her Bertie Botts every flavour beans, though she hadn't been a fan of the broccoli one.

The outside scenery turned into woods and twisting rivers but Harri didn't seem to notice the time passing. The door to the compartment opened and a boy with a round face stood at the door and enquired about a missing toad. When both her and Ron said no, the boy left before either could ask anymore. Ron and Harri shrugged at one another before continuing their talk on pets.

Ron started to tell Harri about a spell his brothers taught him on how to turn his rat yellow when the compartment door was opened again and this time a girl with brown bushy hair stood there. She was already dressed in her school robes and Harri wondered if she should be the same.

The girl was rather bossy and she wasn't impressed when, after sticking around to see it, Ron's spell failed. She then went off on how she had memorised all the books they had been required to buy. Harri gave a nervous gulp, wondering if she should have done the same too. But by the look of horror on Ron's face, she knew this other girl seemed to be the only one in their compartment to do that.

"I'm Hermione Granger, who are you?" The girl said after her rather intimidating and fast speech.

"I'm Ron Weasley." Ron replied sheepishly. Harri went to open her mouth to speak when recognition crossed Hermione's face.

"Oh you're Harriet Potter."

"She prefers Harri." Ron said immediately. Harri couldn't help but smile for it was at that moment Harri realised she finally had a friend.

"Ohh none of the books mentioned that." Hermione said with surprise. The bossy girl then went on to explain about all the books she had read which included Harri and then within the same breath started to talk about which house she wanted to be sorted in to. Harri decided to keep her mouth shut thinking it was best to just let her speak.

The girl soon left but not before telling Ron and Harri to change into their school robes. After her departure, the two's attention turned to discussing which house they wanted to be in and by the sounds of it Harri had decided she really didn't want to be in Slytherin. The conversation then turned to the news about the break in at Gringotts before Quidditch came up. Ron got excited and began to launch into telling her all about the wizarding sport when the door opened again and this time three mean looking boys stood there. Harri and Ron stood up to face them.

Two looked like big thugs, reminding Harri very much of most of Dudley's gang. The one in the middle though with platinum blonde hair was thin and pale. Harri recognised him from the robe shop when he had been insulting Hagrid. She hadn't been very fond of him then and she doubted whatever was about to happen was going to change her mind.

"Is it true?" The blonde boy asked. "They're all saying down the train that Harriet Potter is in this compartment. So it's you is it?"

"It's Harri actually." She told him, crossing her arms over her chest. Her eyes darted towards the boys stood behind the pale one.

"Oh this is Crabbe and Goyle." He said nodding his head towards each. "And I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." Ron gave a cough which was clearly trying to hide a laugh. Draco's eyes immediately narrowed as he stared at the red head. "Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father's told me all about the Weasleys with red hair and freckles and more children than they can afford."

Ron's ears turned pink at the insult.

"You'll find Potter that some wizarding families are better than others and you don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort." Draco continued. "I can help you there."

The boy held his hand out to her but Harri had already decided what she thought of Draco Malfoy the moment he had spoken about Hagrid in Diagon Alley.

"You know I'll think I can tell for myself thanks who I want to be friends with." Harri said with a smug smirk, her arm going to rest on Ron's shoulders. Ron gave her a look of awe as if he couldn't believe this girl was sticking up for him.

"I would be careful if I were you Potter." Malfoy said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them either. You hang round with riff-raffs like Weasley and Hagrid and it'll rub off on you."

Ron's face went as red as his hair but Harri was quick to jump between the two.

"Good I hope it does. They have more personality than someone who looks like a ferret." Harri replied. She had learnt over the years with Dudley's gang you couldn't show weakness and sometimes you had to give as good as you get. She took a step closer to Draco and the boy only laughed at her.

"You're going to fight us now? You're just a girl." Draco sneered.

"A girl who knows how to aim a good kick." Harri warned though she wasn't entirely as confident as she made out when she realised how much bigger Crabbe and Goyle were. "So I would suggest you get out."

"But we don't feel like leaving just yet do we boys? We've eaten all our food and you seem to still have some."

As Goyle reached down to take the last remaining sweets, he gave a howl. Harri had thought Ron had reached him in time, instead Scabbers the rat had taken a bite into the would-be thief which had sent the trio running. Ron and Harri burst into laughter and even Hermione running into the compartment scolding them for fighting couldn't stop them. Ron explained the dark family history of the Malfoys before the pair were laughing again at finding Scabbers asleep.

Hermione once again reminded them they needed to put on their robes so Harri briefly left Ron to find a toilet to change in. When she came back she found Ron dressed, his trainers peeking out at the bottom of his slightly too short robes. They crammed their pockets with the last of their sweets before the train came to a halt.

With a mixture of excitement and nervousness, Harri stepped off the train and followed the sound of Hagrid's voice. She wasn't sure what was going to happen next, but she did know that no matter what house she was sorted in to, she had made a friend in Ron Weasley and did not intend to let anything get in the way of that.


	2. Sense of Fun

Today was Halloween and Harri couldn't quite believe how quickly time had passed while she had been at Hogwarts. To be fair, with all the homework and Quidditch practice she had, it had made it easy to forget. If this time last year someone had told Harri that she would love school she would have called them stupid and told them to leave her alone. Now though she was eager every day to learn.

Now they had learnt the basics, the magic they were being taught was becoming more and more interesting. It also helped she had her best friend Ron Weasley at her side, the two thick as thieves. Harri was so happy when they had been sorted into Gryffindor together. She also had made so many friends, what with Seamus, Dean, Neville and of course Lavender and Parvati. Those two girls seemed to had formed a close bond and though Harri would consider them her friends, she would much prefer to hang out with Ron in the common room than with the girls.

That was the other thing she couldn't quite believe, how many friends she now had. There was no Dudley here to bully others into not being nice to her, and she found she couldn't be happier. Ron had done a great job at suggesting the name Harri too, she naturally fell into being called Harri and everyone had quickly learnt to call her that. All except Professor Snape who, when he wasn't spitting out the word Potter, would call her Harriet. It was an annoying trait Malfoy had picked up too when he noticed how much she disliked being called it.

All in all though, Harri was finding herself increasingly waking up with a smile on her face.

The morning of Halloween was no different. Her alarm went off and she was quick to be out of bed and getting ready for the day. She went down to the common room to find Ron and Neville waiting for her and the trio walked down to the Great Hall together. The smell of pumpkins baking in the kitchens wafted through the school as the trio started talking about the day ahead.

When they reached the Gryffindor table they made their way down to where the first years had chosen as their spot and sure enough Dean and Seamus where already there. As Harri, Ron and Neville joined them, Harri cast a sad look towards Hermione who was sat a little further down by herself and reading a book.

It wasn't like Harri didn't like the girl, in fact they had had some okay moments together. But after coming across the three-headed dog Hermione had taken to ignoring her and Ron. Harri had made attempts to talk to her, seeing as they shared a room together but the bushy haired girl never seemed to engage. To be honest Harri thought, they weren't exactly friends before the dog incident either. In fact, Harri wasn't sure Hermione had any friends.

The girl was always on her own in between classes with a book in her hand. In the common room, there had been times when the girls in the dorm had tried to get her involved in their chats but the young girl wouldn't seem keen and would make a comment about how they had homework they should be doing. There were other times though where Harri and Hermione had shared a smile whenever the two had referenced something muggle that the other girls didn't understand. It was moments like that, that gave Harri hope they could be friends. After all, Harri knew all too well how lonely it could be without any friends at school.

"You know she'll tell you off about your tie being squint or something." Ron pointed out when he looked to see where Harri was starring.

"Maybe, but I'm gonna go talk to her." Harri said. "You coming?"

"Urgh fine, but only because there are more sausages by her." Ron relented and followed Harri to slightly further down the table to sit opposite Hermione.

Hermione's eyes widened slightly in surprise as her gaze left her book to look at her two new companions.

"Morning Hermione." Harri said brightly as she began to put bacon on to her plate. Ron seemed to mutter a similar phrase though Harri wasn't sure with the sausages being stuffed into his mouth.

"Morning." The girl said stiffly before returning to her book. Ron and Harri shared a glance of annoyance.

"What are you reading?" Harri asked, trying to preserve.

"Hogwarts: A History" Hermione answered without saying more. Harri gave a roll of her eyes at her obvious lack of interest in talking. Ron began to snicker next to her.

"Look Hermione, I'm sorry about the whole nearly being caught by Filch thing. But I'm trying to be your friend here" Harri finally said exasperated.

"Harri we weren't just nearly caught by Filch, we could have been expelled!" Hermione hissed angrily, slamming her book shut.

"Yeah but we weren't." Harri pointed out. "Where's your sense of fun?"

"Sense of fun?" Hermione parroted with disbelief. "Clearly you and I have different ideas on fun."

"Clearly." Ron muttered though Hermione heard and shot him a look.

"Well how about we start over. I think we could be friends." Harri said with hope.

"I don't want to be friends with someone so reckless." Hermione stated. Harri had to admit that hurt. Ever since coming to Hogwarts she found she had made friends easily and to hear someone she wanted to be friends with, not reciprocate the feelings….well that stung.

"Fine then. We won't be." Harri shot back.

"Your tie's crocked." Hermione told her before grabbing her book and leaving Ron and Harri alone.

"Told you." Ron said smugly as he dug into his scrambled eggs.

"You're right, why would anyone want to be friends with Hermione Granger?" Harri agreed before digging in to the eggs and bacon on her plate.

* * *

Ron and Harri were leaving charms and Ron was not in a good mood after being shown up by Hermione.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her." Ron said to Harri as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor. "She's a nightmare honestly, like you said this morning, who would want to be friends with Hermione Granger?"

Harri stumbled forward as someone from behind knocked into her as they scurried past. Harri caught the sigh of brush brown of Hermione running ahead and a sinking feeling opened in her stomach.

"I think she heard you." Harri said sadly, the image of herself running away from nasty comments conjuring in her mind. Had she become the same level as Dudley?

"So?" Ron said though Harri could hear he was uncomfortable. "I mean she must realise she has no friends. And besides, you did offer this morning to be one. She turned you down."

Harri nodded knowing Ron had a good point.

"I wonder where she's going. It doesn't look like she was going the right way to transfiguration which we have next." Harri wondered aloud.

"Who knows and who cares? She's smart enough to look after herself." Ron stated before going off about how excited he was for the Halloween feast tonight after hearing stories about it from his brothers.

Harri nodded along but she wasn't paying attention as her mind kept drifting back to Hermione and wondering where the girl had gone. Harri was pretty sure the girl had been close to tears as she ran past.

Sure enough, Hermione didn't turn up for any classes that afternoon. When Harri had suggested her and Ron go look for her, Ron shot the idea down reminding Harri again if Hermione wanted friends she wouldn't have been so rude to them that morning. At one point Harri and Ron overheard Lavender tell Parvati that Hermione was crying in the girls' toilets and wanted to be left alone.

"See I told you, she wants to be alone." Ron told Harri trying to cheer his friend up but Harri could tell he was still feeling awkward about the situation.

The pair were quickly distracted though as they walked in to the Great Hall and saw all the Halloween decorations. Harri was in awe at the floating pumpkins and the live bats that flew around the hall. Ron hadn't been exaggerating when he had been describing the Halloween celebrations to her. Like their first night here, the tables of the Great Hall became full to the brim with all the food you could think of. Harri was just helping herself to a jacket potato when Professor Quirrell came running into the hall.

"Troll in the dungeons – thought you ought to know." He said before fainting at Dumbledore's feet.

The room erupted into chaos and the headmaster only managed to restore order with several purple firecrackers from the end of his wand.

"Prefects, lead your houses back to their dormitories immediately." He rumbled.

Harri was aware of everyone leaving and she like Ron, followed the crowd out of the hall listening to Percy's distinct calls for first years to follow him.

"How could a troll get in?" Harri asked in worry.

"Beats me, they're supposed to be really stupid. Maybe Peeves let it in as a Halloween prank." Ron suggested.

"Wait a minute." Harri said placing a hand on Ron's arm to stop the him walking forward. "What about Hermione? She doesn't know about the troll."

"Oh all alright, but Percy better not see us."

* * *

Harri and Ron were quickly running back to their dormitory. They weren't sure what was more unbelievable, the fact they had just taken on a mountain troll or the fact Hermione Granger had lied to a teacher.

"We should have got more than ten points." Ron groaned.

"Well we actually got five when you take away the five Hermione lost." Harri told him which caused the red head to groan more.

"I shouldn't complain too much though. Was good of her to get us at of trouble like that." Ron admitted. "Mind you we did save her."

"Only after we had locked a troll in the bathroom with her. I can't believe I forgot that was the girls' toilets." Harri gave a sigh at frustration at her stupidity.

"Hey no one got hurt, where's your sense of fun?" Ron said, mocking Harri's words to her that morning. The two started to laugh as they reached the fat lady portrait and climbed through to the Gryffindor common room.

On the other side was Hermione who had clearly been waiting for them to return. Despite the loudness in the room from everyone else talking, the silence between the three was deafening.

"Thanks." Hermione finally said, she made a move to get plates.

"Hermione wait." Harri said bringing the other girl back to them. "What we said earlier….well it was stupid of us and mean. We're sorry."

"Yeah, I was just embarrassed I couldn't do the spell. I'm sure you do have friends." Ron admitted with a guilty expression, his eyes staring at the floor.

"I don't actually." Hermione confessed. "You two have actually been the nicest too me and I was really rude to you this morning. I'm sorry."

The group nodded their head at the same time trying not to look at the other two.

"Well that was the past." Harri stated with a small smile. She was happy to see Hermione copy it. "Would you want to sit with us while having dinner?"

"Yes, I would like that a lot." Hermione said. The trio shared wide grins as they all moved to get plates of food.

There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a 12-foot mountain troll was one of them.


	3. Home

Harri woke up and gave a slight yawn. Her room was empty being the only girl in her year at Gryffindor to stay for the Christmas holidays. She didn't mind, in fact she was more than happy to stay at Hogwarts over the break, having sent her Aunt and Uncle a letter as soon as she found out she could stay. She imagined they were all but too pleased to be told she would not be coming back until the summer.

Harri sat up and put her glasses on her head while giving a big stretch. She cast her eyes around the room and gave a gasp in shock upon seeing the small pile of presents piled at the end of her bed. She couldn't believe it! She didn't think she would be getting any and for Harri, it was the first time she had more than some small badly wrapped package to open from the Dursleys.

She was quick to slip on her dressing gown and grab her presents before running down the stairs and then back up to the boys' room. Her and Ron had discovered early on that boys couldn't go up to the girls' room but girls could go up to the boys. They learnt that the hard way when Ron had come up to get her for breakfast and ended up taking a tumble as the stairs turned into a slide.

She gave a knock before hearing a groggy "come in" from inside. She was quick to open the door and run over to the empty bed by Ron's and dump her presents there. Like her, Ron was the only first year boy in Gryffindor who hadn't gone home for Christmas. In fact, all the Weasley children were there as their parents had gone to Romania to visit their elder sibling Charlie.

"Look Ron, I've got presents!" Harri exclaimed excitingly. Ron gave her a funny look as he managed to make himself sit up and look at the haul at the bottom of his bed.

"What did you expect, turnips?" Ron asked her. Harri could see Ron's pile was a lot bigger than hers but she didn't find herself caring.

With Ron about to open his first present, Harri was quick to pick up one of her own wrapped in thick brown paper. ' _To Harri from Hagrid.'_ Was scrawled across the top. Inside was a wooden flute that Hagrid had obviously whittled himself. She gave a blow on it and sounded like an owl. Harri continued to beam as she moved on to the next present.

The next one was very small and contained the note: ' _We received your message and enclose your Christmas present. From Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia.'_ Sellotaped on the back was a 50p coin. Harri found herself laughing at Ron's amusement at the money and let him keep it.

"So that's from my Aunt and Uncle, and that's from Hagrid….so who sent the rest?" Harri wondered aloud.

"I think I know who that ones from." Ron said looking at the lumpy parcel next to Harri. Ron's ears turned pink as he explained. "My mum. I told her you didn't expect any presents and – oh no." Ron groaned as he realised what the present was. "She made you a Weasley jumper."

Harri gave him a puzzled look as she finally opened the present. Inside was an emerald green jumper with an H on the front. There was also a large box of homemade fudge. Harri's eyes went wide in awe.

"Every year she makes us a jumper." Said Ron, trying to cover up the silence and give a look of apology to Harri thinking she was quiet in embarrassment. He turned to his own lumpy parcel and opened to find his jumper. "And mine's _always_ maroon."

Harri wasn't embarrassed by it though. Instead she was in shock that someone had made her something so nice. She still couldn't believe Hagrid's wooden flute to her but to receive a present off Ron's mum because she was worried Harri wouldn't get any, well it was kindness Harri had never experienced before.

She quickly jumped up, took off her dressing gown and threw the jumper over her head and ran to the mirror to see what it looked like.

"I know it's just some wool and-"

"Ron it's perfect." Harri said beaming over at her best friend. Ron's embarrassment evaporated and he smiled back at her. "And it fits."

"Of course it fits." Ron said, going back to opening his own presents. "Oh look Hermione got me some Bertie Botts every flavour beans."

Harri wasn't paying attention though and was admiring the jumper in the mirror. Of course, all her Hogwarts clothes fit her because she had bought them, but she had never had clothes bought for her before. Any clothes she got from her Aunt and Uncle were always Dudley's size. She honestly couldn't tell Ron how much it meant to not only receive a present from his mum, but to also have an article of clothing given to her that actually fit her.

"Come on Harri you still have two more presents." Ron's voice brought Harri back from her thoughts and she ran back over to the bed to open the last of her presents. Like Ron, she had received a gift from Hermione, hers were chocolate frogs.

Harri began to munch on some of the home-made fudge, which was unsurprisingly delicious, as she picked up her last present. It was light and as she unwrapped it, a silvery cloak fell out.

"Woah." Ron gasped, forgetting about the sweets on his bed and focusing on Harri's present. "I've heard of those. If that's what I think it is, then it's really rare and really valuable."

"What is it?"

"It's an invisibility cloak." Ron told her, a look of awe on his face. "I'm sure it is - try it on."

Harri swung the light material over her shoulder and was amazed to see the lower half of her body disappear. The pair then began to chat about who had sent it, reading over the note that had fallen out with the cloak. With no signature, it was a mystery. Harri went quiet though, thinking over the fact it had once belonged to her father.

Over the years she had asked and begged her Aunt and Uncle if there was anything in the house that had come from her parents. Each time they would scold her for asking and Harri had quickly given up on the pursuit. Now though she finally had something that had belonged to them. It was quickly turning into the best Christmas ever.

"Harri what's wrong?" Ron asked when he saw her thoughtful expression.

"Nothing. Merry Christmas Ron." Harri said with a smile.

"Merry Christmas Harri." Ron said back and the two first years smiled at each other.

Suddenly the door flew open and in walked Fred and George Weasley wearing their own Weasley jumpers. Both were blue with large yellow letters on them.

"Merry Christmas." Said Fred.

"Hey look, Harri got a Weasley jumper too." George pointed out, thankfully both had letters on their jumpers to help Harri work out who was speaking.

"Ron now you know you're not allowed to have girls up here." Fred teased his little brother, who's ears went red in response.

"Shut it you trolls." Ron shot back, which only caused their smiles to widen.

"I like the colour of your jumpers." Harri stepped in bringing the twins attention back to her.

"Yeah we get blue each year. Seems you'll be getting green." George said.

"And better quality by the looks of it, she obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family." Fred commented motioning to Harri's jumper.

"Why aren't you wearing yours Ron?" George demanded. "Come on, get it on. They're lovely and warm."

"I hate maroon." Ron complained half-heartedly as he pulled the jumper over his head.

"You haven't got a letter on yours." George observed. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your own name. But we're not stupid – we know we're called Gred and Forge."

Ron and Harri burst into laughter at the twins antics which caused a flustered looking Percy to come into the room.

"What's all this noise?" The Prefect asked, his glasses slightly askew. On his arm was a half open jumper waiting for him to put it on. He spotted Harri sat on the bed. "Now Miss Potter you know girls are not allowed –"

"Oh come off it Percy it's Christmas." George said putting one arm over his older brother's shoulder. "Can you not be Prefect for one day."

"He can't, look even his jumper says Prefect." Fred said as he seized the jumper from Percy's arm and held it up to show the big P on it. "Come on, get it on. We're all wearing ours, even Harri got one."

The twins then worked together to shove the jumper over Percy's head. His head popped up and his glasses lay even more askew on his face, cause Ron and Harri to share a smile.

"And you're not sitting with the Prefects today. Christmas is a time for family." George added before he and Fred frog marched Percy out of the room.

* * *

Harri was sat by the fire watching Ron and Percy play wizard chess. She could honestly and easily say today had been the best Christmas ever. After a fantastic mouth-watering meal followed by an epic snowball fight with the Weasleys, Harri couldn't keep the smile off her face, even if Ron had just demolished her new chess set.

Though Harri had known for a while, it was at this point she truly realised, Hogwarts was her home more than Privet Drive ever was.

"Hey Harri, ever played exploding snap?" George asked as he and Fred came over. Harri shook her head and the two quickly explained the rules before launching into a game. The trio laughed, though more the twins at Harri for how bad she was, but after a round or two, Harri had started to get the hang of it and wasn't doing too bad.

"So how did you guys get those snowballs to follow Professor Quirrell around and hit him on the back of the head?" Harri asked on their fourth game.

"Oh it was easy." Fred gave a shrug.

"But a true prankster never reveals his secrets." George finished, complimenting Fred's sentence. "Especially to a non-prankster."

"I once managed to get my Aunt to dye her hair green." Harri said causally as she put a card down.

"What? How did you do that without magic?" Fred asked in disbelief. He lost his concentration and the cards exploded in his face causing Harri and George to laugh.

"A true prankster never reveals her secrets." Harri said with a smirk.

"Fine we'll tell you ours-"

"If you tell us yours."

"Alright, you first." Harri nodded, the trio momentarily forgetting about their game of exploding snap.

"It's a certain charm." Fred explained.

"Called the locomotor charm." George continued.

"Simple as that. Here's the wand movement." Fred showed her the movement with his hand.

"And you say _locomotor._ You learn it in second year." George finished.

"Your turn."

"My Aunt dyes her hair blonde pretty regularly. She has to set a timer so she doesn't leave the dye in too long otherwise it goes wrong." Harri explained, figuring the two having grown up in a wizarding household, wouldn't know how muggles dye their hair. "Anyway one time she was making me clean up my cousin's mess and she fell asleep with the dye in. So, I changed her timer and added an extra hour to it." Harri told them proudly. "The best part was she thought she had made the mistake herself so I didn't get into trouble for it."

"Impressive Potter." Fred said with a smile.

"You could be an admirable ally." George said with a pompous voice causing Harri to laugh.

"Well if you're looking for something to do now, you can use this." Harri pulled Percy's Prefect badge out of her pocket to the twin's wide eyes.

"How do you manged to get that?" Fred asked.

"I swear he sleeps with the thing on." George stated.

"Well he wouldn't expect me to steal it. Besides he was distracted by 'helping' me beat Ron at chess. Though if anything he's the reason I lost." Harri explained.

"So now you want revenge." Fred summarised.

"A good choice." George continued.

"What do you reckon George, can we work with this?"

"Oh I think we can Fred." Harri laughed at the pair.

Her and Ron then spent the rest of the evening watching Percy chase after the twins all over Gryffindor tower trying to get his badge back.

* * *

Harri snuck back into the room and looked at the mirror for the third night in a row. A smile came to her lips as she saw the family of Potters stood before her. Her focus though was on her mother and father. Her mother's red hair was so smooth and straight while her father's jet black and stuck up at odd angles. It was easy to tell which one she had inherited. Then there were the eyes, her mother's emerald green like her own.

Harri sat on the floor and her attention went to her own mirror reflection. This girl looked happy, her hair was down and sat just at her shoulders. So different from the chest length hair on her own head that she always kept in a ponytail. Harri couldn't remember when she last had her hair down. Petunia had always made her have it up and though she had longed for a shorter haircut, her Aunt would never take her for one. Instead Petunia would do it herself giving her uneven ends and giving Harri another reason to have it up and out of the way.

Then there was the fringe. Or she should say lack of fringe. Her hair in the reflection naturally fell to either side. But then again, there was no lightening scar on her forehead to hide. Harri's hand came up to the mirror and she held her palm against it.

"So back again Harri."

Harri's insides turned to ice as she looked around to see Professor Dumbledore sat on one of the desks at the back of the classroom. She must have walked straight past him, so eager to see the mirror, to not even check if there was anyone else in the room.

And so her and Dumbledore spoke about the mirror Erised and how it could show your deepest desires. Her headmaster asked her not to go looking for it again and Harri nodded her head.

"Professor can I ask you a question?" Harri said as she stood up to retrieve her cloak.

"Obviously, you've just done so." Dumbledore smiled. "You may ask me one more thing however."

"Does the mirror show what we think something looks like or does it…you know…" Harri couldn't quite word her question but Dumbledore nodded his head in understanding.

"Harri what you saw is the truth." Dumbledore said, a warmth to his eyes.

"So that's what my parents actually looked like?" Harri found herself asking without realising she had already used up her one question.

Dumbledore didn't seem to mind though, instead his eyes somehow turned even kinder as a sad smile crossed his lips. "Yes Harri. You really do have your mother's eyes." She went to open her mouth to ask more questions, did this mean Dumbledore had known her parents? Before she could though her headmaster reminded her of the time. "I think that's enough for tonight Harri."

Harri gave a nod. "Thank you Professor." She said. She gave him one last smile before she flung the invisibility cloak over her head and hurried back to the common room.


	4. Unconditional Love

Harri sat there listening to Dumbledore talk as he discussed Voldemort and though Harri had once again defeated him, it was unlikely he was gone for good. She sat in the hospital bed with a sombre look, wise beyond her years.

"I understand." Harri told her headmaster. "I'm just glad I managed to stop him before he got his hands on the stone."

"We all are Harri." Dumbledore gave her a soft smile as he stood at the end of her bed, his eyes peering over his half-moon glasses.

"Professor Dumbledore. I was wondering…..well I still have a few questions." Harri said, "I want to know the truth about…"

"The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have very good reason not to, in which case I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie."

Harri gave a pause before she spoke, trying to word her question correctly. "Voldemort said that he only killed my mother because she tried to stop him killing me. And that no woman could ever hope to beat him. But if that's the case, why would he want to kill me in the first place?"

Dumbledore gave a heavy sigh.

"Alas the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know one day…put it from your mind for now Harri. When you are older….I know you hate to hear this….when you are ready, you will know."

Harri nodded her head, knowing it would do no good to argue.

"Professor why couldn't Quirrell touch me?"

This was an answer Dumbledore could give her. He explained how his mother's sacrifice all those years ago had been something so powerful that is still protected her today, it was love.

Dumbledore turned his gaze out the window, transfixed on a bird sat on the window-sill. Harri took the time to wipe her eyes where she could feel a few tears had fallen. To know she had been so loved by her parents, no one had ever told her that before. When she found her voice again, she asked the next question she had wanted to ask ever since she had spoken with Dumbledore at Christmas.

"You said I had my mother's eyes." Harri reminded the older wizard, who brought his attention back to her.

"I did."

"Does that mean you knew them?" Harri asked hopefully.

"Ah yes, I did." Dumbledore gave her a soft smile. "Lily and James Potter were some of my more memorable students. And I know they would have been proud of their daughter."

"I don't know. I was caught sneaking out several times and cost Gryffindor the house cup." Harri mumbled looking at her bed. Though she had stopped Voldemort she doubted the school would forgive her so easily for handing the cup to Slytherin.

"Your mother may have disapproved of that. But your father would have beamed with pride." Harri's head snapped up in disbelief. Dumbledore gave a soft chuckle. "Ah yes James Potter, I dare say the Weasley twins could learn a thing or two off your dad and his friends when they were at school."

"My dad used to get in trouble?"

"I would say he knew how to make a bit of mischief. I always did like that about him." There was a twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes as he reminisced about his former student.

"I'm sure his Invisibility Cloak helped." Harri gave a small laugh. She then paused before asking her next question. "Do you know who sent it to me?"

"Ah- your father happened to leave it in my possession and I thought you might like it back." Dumbledore answered.

The conversation turned to Snape and how he had actually been trying to save Harri all year due to the fact he owed his life to Harri's dad. Harri didn't quite believe it fully, no one could act like they hated someone that much and it not be true. Harri then asked how she had managed to get the stone.

Dumbledore gave a small chuckle as he told her about his spell that only those who wanted to find the stone but not to use it, could get it. It was one of his more genius ideas if you asked him.

The headmaster moved the conversation forward and helped himself to one of the many sweets sat at Harri's bedside. He told the story of how he once had a vomit flavoured Every Flavour bean which had put him off the sweet treat. He thought he was safe with a light brown one, assuming it would be toffee.

He gave a cough and a grimace crossed his face. "Alas, ear wax!"

Harri found herself laughing at the eccentric Headmaster before Madam Pomfrey came into the room to shoo him away.

* * *

Harri was grinning as she sat in the train compartment with her two best friends. She, Ron and Hermione were sat eating Bertie Botts Every Flavour beans and laughing at each other if they got a disgusting flavour. The trio were in high spirits after they had managed to regain the points to win the house cup. Neville came to join them and the three were more than happy to have the round face boy sit with them.

The scenery outside started to turn into green fields with the occasional muggle village being passed. She played with the ends of her hair which, though untamed, was sitting naturally past her shoulders. Her new-found confidence after the incidence with Voldemort, had given her the courage to keep her hair out of a ponytail. Only Hermione had made a comment and told Harri she liked her hair down, and the young witch couldn't stop smiling about it.

"Hey Neville, did you manage to find Trevor before we left?" Harri asked the boy, the pair watching as Ron and Hermione played a game of wizard chess, unsurprisingly Ron was winning.

"Oh yeah, he was under my bed." Neville told her before pulling said toad out of his pocket. "Gran would be so annoyed if I lost him."

"What about your parents?" Harri asked, realising the boy had never mentioned them. She knew he lived with his Gran but that was about it. "Do they not live with you?"

"They're not very well." The boy spluttered, his face going beetroot. Harri immediately regretted the question. She quickly tried to move the conversation on.

"Must be nice living with your Gran. Have any nice plans for the summer?" Harri asked. She could see the instant relief on his face at the change of topic.

"Nothing special. We usually go visit my Great Aunt and Uncle on my birthday." Neville told her as he put Trevor back in his pocket.

"When's your birthday?" Harri asked eagerly.

"July 31st."

"No way, so is mine." Harri told him. The pair shared a smile. Though most teased the boy and thought he had been sorted into the wrong house, Harri strongly believed Neville was one of the bravest of them all…..though he just didn't always show it. "I bet you'll have a better birthday than me."

"I'm not so sure. My Uncle usually ends up doing something crazy, remember how I told you he dropped my out of the top window to try and see if I had magic." Neville reminded her.

"Oh yeah, well I imagine my Aunt and Uncle will just ignore my birthday like usual."

"That's so sad Harri." Hermione chimed in, listening to their conversation while still losing at chess.

"Oh it could be worse. One time they actually remembered and said my birthday present was extra chores." Harri gave a shrug. Her companions gave her sad looks.

Harri had talked some about her home life but none realised her Aunt and Uncle were that mean. The young witch began to squirm in her seat, uncomfortable. Sometimes she forgot how bad she had it at the Durselys, but then again she didn't really know anything different until she had arrived at Hogwarts.

Suddenly a groan next to her broke the silence and the group turned to look at Neville as he clutched his head in hands.

"I just remembered, I've left my Remembrall back in the common room." The boy muttered.

The other three burst into laughter, Harri giving Neville a pat on the back.

* * *

"You must come stay this summer!" Ron said to Harri and Hermione as they trio stood waiting to be allowed to run through the barrier back to King's Cross. "Both of you – I'll send an owl."

"Really?" Harri asked hopefully. Ron beamed back at her, nodding his head enthusiastically. "I would love to!"

"Bye Harri."

"Have a good summer Potter!"

The sounds of familiar voices drifted through the crowd to them as they slowly jostled forward in the queue to the barrier.

"Still famous." Ron teased with a smirk.

"Well I am the youngest seeker in Hogwarts history." Harri smirked back.

"Yeah, that's the reason people know your name." Ron shot back.

"Well where I'm going, I'll be back to being invisible soon enough." Harri told the pair as they crossed the barrier and re-entered the muggle world.

"Look mum, there she is." It was Ginny Weasley pointing at Harri. "Harriet Potter! Look mum I can see-"

"Be quiet Ginny, it's rude to point." The plump older woman warned the girl.

"Charming, my own sister spots you first." Ron muttered. Harri gave him a nudge with her elbows which gave way to a smirk on the red head's face.

The trio approached Mrs Weasley and she smiled down at them.

"Busy year?" She said.

"Very." Harri said with a smile of her own. "Thank you so much for the jumper and the homemade fudge. I love it and the fudge was delicious."

"Oh it was nothing dear."

"Ready are you?"

Harri looked up to see Uncle Vernon, still purple faced, looking down at her with a glare. His moustache twitched, as if he couldn't believe the nerve of Harri for carrying an owl in a cage in a station full of ordinary people. Behind him stood Petunia and Dudley, looking terrified at the sight of Harri.

"You must be Harri's family." Mrs Weasley said with a warm smile to Uncle Vernon.

"In a manner of speaking." Vernon grunted. "Hurry up girl, we haven't got all day." He walked away.

Harri hung back for a moment to say a final few words to Ron and Hermione.

"Oh don't worry about him, that was actually a good shade of purple for him." Harri told the pair causing them both to laugh and ease a bit of tension in the air. "Promise you'll write?"

"As much as I did for that charms exam." Hermione told her giving her a hug.

"Blimey, poor Hedgwig with drop of exhaustion if you do that." Rom teased. The girls laughed and Harri turned and lightly punched Ron on the arm. She didn't both trying to hug him as she knew he would get awkward. "I'll write don't you worry."

"Good." Harri said.

"Harriet!" The sound of Uncle Vernon's bark ruined the moment.

"Well I best be on my way."

"Hope you have er – a good holiday." Hermione said looking uncertainly over Uncle Vernon, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.

"Oh I will." Harri said with a wicked grin. "They don't know we're not allowed to practice magic at home. I'm going to have some fun with Dudley this summer."


	5. The Great Escape

Harri stared at the ceiling of her bedroom trying not to cry. Her stomach rumbled for lack of food but with the sound of her Uncle's snores down the hall and the moon in the sky, Harri didn't think she would be eating again any time soon.

She turned on to her side to look at Hedwig who looked as miserable as Harri felt. She was locked in her cage unable to enjoy the night sky and fly to her heart's content.

"I'm sorry Hedwig, I couldn't stop that stupid house elf." Harri grumbled. The owl tilted her head to the side as she looked at Harri. "And now we're locked in this room for Merlin knows how long. Hopefully when Hogwarts starts they send someone looking for me." Harri looked to the window where she could see the bars on the outside. "I just hope I don't starve to death before then."

She turned to face the ceiling again, wishing for anything that she could just talk to her best friends Ron and Hermione.

The sound of a rumbling engine caught Harri's attention. It was strange. It sounded like a car but she knew what a car driving on her road sounded like. This on the other hand sounded like it was in the back garden. Harri sat up to look and gave a startled yelp in surprise, for there was a face in the window. She put her glasses on and looked back, overjoyed to see the face of Ron Weasley.

She paused for a moment to make sure her yelp of surprise hadn't woken up the other residents of the house. The sound of snoring reassured her she was still the only one up. Harri quickly leapt out of bed and threw the window open so she could talk to Ron. Harri's eyes went wide in awe as she saw Ron was sat in an old turquoise car hovering in mid-air.

"Ron, what are you-what-how—you're in a flying car!" Harri whispered to the red head. She looked to the front to find Ron's twin brothers, Fred and George, sat in the front seat.

"All right Harri?" Fred (or maybe George) said to her.

"What's been going on?" Ron asked her. "I've written to you and asked you stay 12 times. Why haven't you been writing back? You said you would."

"Ron I didn't get your letters." Harri tried to explain.

"What do you mean you didn't get my letters?" Ron repeated back. "Also Dad said you got an official warning from the Ministry about performing under age magic in front of muggles."

"It's a long story but it wasn't me." Harri tried to convince the three. "How does your dad know that?"

"He works for the ministry. And if it wasn't you then who was it?" Ron asked her.

"Like I said long story, where did you get the car?"

"Oh this?" Ron looked over the old vehicle. "It's Dad's, he enchanted it. We just decided to borrow it. Anyhow, what were you thinking performing magic in front of muggles?"

"I told you it wasn't me." Harri repeated herself. "Though I would love to have you come in for a cup of tea, you guys need get out of here before my Uncle sees you. Listen, when you get to Hogwarts tell them the Dursleys are keeping me locked up and I can't get out. And as you so reminded me, I can't exactly use magic to get out without being expelled."

"Stop gibbering." Ron told her. "We've come to take you home with us."

Harri looked at the three grinning faces and saw they were serious.

"How, you can't do magic?"

"We don't need magic." Ron said with a sly smirk. He jerked his heads towards the twins in the front. "You forgot who I've got with me."

It didn't take long for the bars to be ripped off her windows and while Harri and Ron went about packing the car with things from her room, the twins went off to get her suitcase and broom from the cupboard under the stairs. Harri had been impressed when Fred and George could pick the lock, it was a skill she would have to get them to teach her.

Harri helped the twins as they managed to heave her case into the car, she was surprised Uncle Vernon hadn't woken with the noise.

"Alright, let's go." George said. He and Fred climbed back into the front.

"Wait, I forgot Hedwig." Harri turned to dash back the chest of drawers where Hedwig's cage sat. The owl had kept quiet throughout the whole ordeal, knowing how important it was she stay quiet. As Harri turned though, she tripped over her carpet, landing with a large thud.

She heard the surprised yelp of Uncle Vernon being woken from his sleep.

"THAT RUDDY GIRL!" She heard her Uncle roar, the lights on the hallway turning on.

Harri was quick to her feet grabbing Hedwig and rushing back over to the car. She threw the cage into Ron's open arms and practically leapt into the back seat. She wasn't quick enough though as she felt a tugging sensation on her leg. She looked back to see her Uncle, quicker than he looked, had managed to dash in and grab on to her ankle.

The twins and Ron grabbed Harri's arms trying to pull her into the car.

"Petunia!" Her Uncle shouted. "She's getting away. SHE'S GETTING AWAY!"

The Weasleys gave an almighty tug and Harri was able to aim a jostle of her leg at the same time, allowing her enough momentum to pull herself from Vernon's grasp, now without a shoe on her left foot.

"Put your foot down Fred." Ron instructed, the older boy more than happy to comply, after Harri had slammed the door shut.

Harri turned to look out the window to see the Dursley's standing there in horror, watching her fly away in a car.

"See you next summer!" Harri shouted out the window to them, causing the other occupants in the car to laugh loudly.

"Harri you lost a shoe." Ron pointed out, his eyes looking to her mismatched feet.

"It's okay. I never really liked these shoes anyway." Harri said with a smile as she threw the other shoe off and on to the floor. The three boys laughed. "Hey, can we let Hedwig out? She can fly behind us. She needs the exercise, the Dursleys wouldn't let her out of the cage since I've been back."

George passed his bobby pin back to Ron who had a knack for muggle locks like his brothers, and was able to free the bird. Hedwig gave Harri an affectionate nip before flying out the open window for a long overdue stretch of her wings.

"So what's the story Harri, what's been happening?" Ron asked impatiently.

"Do you guys know what a house elf is?" Harri asked them.

"Yeah, small little things-"

"With big eyes-"

"Usually clothed in a rag."

"I forgot you two like to do that." Harri shared a grin with the Weasley twins as they talked one after the other without missing a beat. "Well yeah one of them, called Dobby, turned up at my house a few days ago. Said there's a terrible plot to make bad things happen at Hogwarts this year."

"Maybe he got the year wrong and meant last year?" Ron said hopefully.

"House elves may be small-" Fred said.

"But they're not stupid Ron." George told his younger brother. Harri could see the younger boy's ears go pink.

"Well whatever his warning was, he believes it. He's been hiding my letters from you, Hermione and I think Hagrid as well. Said if I didn't think I had friends I wouldn't want to go back."

"What rubbish." Ron told her. Harri looked to the ground with a guilty look. "Wait, did you really think I wouldn't write?"

"I wasn't exactly Miss popular at my old-school Ron. I just thought…maybe away from Hogwarts…we weren't…you know." Harri refused to look at Ron and she could tell the twins were pretending not to listen for a moment to give the two younger children privacy.

"We weren't what?" Ron asked with his usual subtlety.

"Friends." Harri blurted out. "I was scared you didn't want to be my friend anymore."

"Harri last year we survived a mountain troll; Malfoy's plots to get us expelled; sneaking a dragon out of Hogwarts and taking on You-Know-Who, not to mention we didn't fail potions despite how hard Snape tried." Ron reminded her, Harri looked up to see him smiling at her. "If that doesn't make us best friends for the rest of our lives, I don't know what will."

Harri and Ron shared a smile, the young girl realising now she had been silly to think Ron had forgotten about her.

"Wait a minute, you two snuck a dragon out of Hogwarts?" Fred asked astounded.

"How is this the first we're hearing of this?" George continued.

"It was a thing with Hagrid, didn't seem that important." Harri shrugged off.

"That important?" Fred manage to spit out despite his exasperation.

"You snuck a dragon out of Hogwarts." George repeated as if he couldn't believe it.

"If they could sneak a dragon out, how come we couldn't get a toilet seat home for Ginny?" Fred asked his twin causing the younger two in the back to laugh.

"Anyway, this house elf in his attempts to keep me going back to Hogwarts," Harri continued, returning to the original conversation matter. "Decided to try and dispose of the dessert my Aunt had made to impress some business partner of my Uncle. I tried to stop him but all it did was mean the dessert landed all over me and ruin the evening. It's why my Uncle was so mad. What with the levitating dessert and then the owl from the Ministry, he lost the deal and blames me for it."

"Harri is it normal for Muggles to have bars on their window?" Ron asked. Harri's face went bright red and George could sense her discomfort.

"Really Ron, what kind of question is that?" George asked his younger brother, saving Harri the embarrassment of answering. "Clearly they support Slytherin for the Quidditch cup and didn't want Harri to practice her amazing seeker skills. Meaning slimy Slytherin would have somewhat of a chance of beating us this year."

George turned in his seat to look at the younger pair, Harri sending him a small smile in thanks.

"You'll be able to practice at ours Harri." Fred said to the younger girl. "Merlin knowns how much training Wood would make you do in September to make up for not training over the summer."

"He really wants to win the cup doesn't he?" Harri asked.

"You should have seen his face when McGonagall came to tell us you couldn't play the last match of the year. Thought he was going to cry." George said.

"Do you think what Dobby was saying could be true?" Ron asked bringing the conversation back to the reason why the Weasleys had to break Harri out of Privet drive.

The four discussed how likely it was. Malfoy's name came up, the twins thinking it may have been a prank on Harri to try and get her to miss school this year. Harri and Ron had immediately thought Malfoy was behind it. Then the conversation turned to Percy who was sending an increasing number of letters over the summer. Before Harri knew it, the car was making a descent and Harri lay her eyes on the Burrow for the first time.

The house was crooked and was clearly being held up by magic. Each level looked like it had been tacked on one after the other, with no thought as to how big the house needed to be when first built. It looked warm and inviting and Harri had to admit she was jealous of Ron in that moment, knowing he had grown up in such a fantastic and loving home.

"It's not much." Ron said as the two stepped out the car and stood facing the house.

"It's brilliant." Harri said with a massive smile, one Ron copied.

The four had made the plan to go upstairs quietly and pretend Harri had come at some point during the night. The plan was scuppered though when one very angry looking Mrs Weasley came storming out the house and marching towards them.

"So." The older woman said, hands on hips, as she came to a stop in front of them.

"Morning mum." George said brightly, as if he and his siblings hadn't just snuck out in the middle of the night to rescue Harri.

"Have you any idea how worried I've been?" Mrs Weasley asked with a deadly whisper.

"Sorry mum but we had to see if Harri-"

Harri realised Ron must have grown over the summer. She herself had grown too but Ron was now taller than her, making him taller than his mother. Fred and George were also taller than the Weasley matriarch, but that didn't stop the three cowering in fear as her rage broke over them.

" _Beds empty! No note! Car gone….could have crashed…out of my mind with worry…did you care?...never, as long as I've lived…you wait until your father gets home, we never had trouble like this from Bill or Charlie or Percy…"_

"Perfect Percy." Fred muttered.

"YOU COULD DO WITH TAKING A LEAF OUT OF PERCY'S BOOK!" Mrs Weasley yelled, prodding a finger in Fred's chest. "You could have _died,_ you could have been _seen,_ you could have lost your father his _job—"_

It seemed to go on for hours. Mrs Weasley had shouted herself hoarse before she turned on Harri, who backed away.

"I'm very pleased to see you Harri dear." She said, "Come in and have some breakfast."

Mrs Weasley made to move back into the house but Harri stopped her by calling her name.

"Mrs Weasley wait." Harri said, the older woman turned back to face her with a kind smile. "Please don't be too angry with them. If it wasn't for them I would still be trapped in a room getting fed through a flap in the door." Mrs Weasley's face turned sad as she listened to Harri.

"Yeah mum, there were bars on her window." Ron chimed in.

"You better hope I don't put bars on your window Ronald Weasley." The plump woman threatened, quick as a whip.

"I know they shouldn't have taken the car." Harri continued, Ron grateful his mother's attention was now back on the raven-haired girl. "But I'm happy they did. They were trying to do the right thing…they maybe just didn't go about it the right way."

Ron and the twins put on their best ' _we're sorry'_ look and it seemed to do the trick. Mrs Weasley's eyes softened as she looked over the four.

"You're lucky you have friend willing to stick up for you Ronald. She just saved you a few weeks of de-gnoming the garden." Mrs Weasley told the group. She then gave a puzzled look as she asked, "Harri my dear, where are your shoes?"


	6. A Car Crash of an Idea

Harri walked towards the barrier to platform 9 and ¾. Hedwig looked like she was vibrating in her cage as the trolley she sat on rattled over the concrete floor of King's Cross station. As she approached the brick wall, Harri picked up the pace so her and Ron were jogging when suddenly—

CRASH!

Harri landed flat on her backside on the ground. Hedwig was squawking loudly at being thrown to the floor. Ron hadn't fared much better as he sat up rubbing his head.

"What do you think you're playing at?" An angry guard shouted as he made his way over to them.

"I'm really sorry. We lost control of our trollies." Harri quickly said as she got up and picked up her snowy owl. She attempted to calm the creature but Hedwig was having one of it.

"Bloody kids." The guard grumble as he walked away.

"What's wrong with the gate? Why can't we get through?" Harri whispered to Ron, panic clear in her eyes.

"I dunno-" Ron stuttered, placing a hand on the wall to see if it would go through but nothing happened. "We're gonna miss the train. I don't understand why the gateway sealed itself."

Harri's eyes looked to the large station clock and she almost gave a cry in despair as she saw the second hand counting down, closer and closer to 11. She joined Ron at the wall and placed her hand on the brick, trying as she might to find some way to get through.

The chimes of the clock signalling the hour gave way to sickening feeling in Harri's stomach, she and Ron had missed the train.

"It's gone," said Ron, sounding stunned "The train's gone. What if mum and dad can't get back through? Do you have any muggle money?"

Harri gave a hollow laugh. "I wish. The Dursleys haven't given me pocket money for 6 years."

Ron put his ear to the cold barrier. "Can't hear a thing" he told Harri. "What are we going to do? We don't know how long it will take for Mum and Dad to get back to us."

The pair looked around, conscious of the awkward stares they were receiving from the public. Some looked downright hostile, claiming animal abuse when they looked at Hedwig in her cage.

"Come on, we're better waiting back at the car." Harri said. She grabbed her trolley but when Ron wasn't making a move to do so, she looked to see him stood there with a gleam in his eyes.

"That's it Harri, the car." Ron said, his face lighting up with the idea. "We can take the car to Hogwarts."

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea." Harri said apprehensively. "I mean doesn't that count as underage magic, and I'm already in trouble with the ministry for that."

"We're stuck, right?" Harri nodded at his question. "And we've got to get to school haven't?" She nodded again. "Well even underage wizards are allowed to do magic in a real emergency, section nineteen or something of the Restriction of Thingy…"

"I don't know." Harri said, still unconvinced it was a good idea. She began to push her trolley to the car, Ron following, thinking it was best to wait for Mr and Mrs Weasley there. "I think we should wait for your parents, they'll come through at some point."

"But what if they don't? What if they take too long and school won't let us join?" Ron argued. Harri bit her lip, it did sound silly but then again so had magic 14 months ago and she didn't know how strict the school was. Maybe Ron was right and if you miss the start of term feast then you couldn't attend.

"But what if we get caught? It's not exactly night time and it's pretty hard to explain away a flying car." Harri pointed out.

"That's what the invisibility charm is for. There's a button you press to activate it." Ron explained. He could see Harri was coming around to his idea.

"Can you even drive the thing? You're only 12." Harri countered. The pair were outside and Harri's eyes squinted under the bright sun.

"Please if Fred can drive that thing so can I." Rom told her with a smug smile.

"So you haven't driven it?" Harri asked with shock.

"I have." Ron shot back defensively.

"How many times?"

"Twice."

"TWICE!"

"And I never crashed and Dad said I was a good driver." Ron told her. The pair had reached the car and stood awkwardly on the pavement next to it.

"Ron if you think I'm getting into a flying car with you that you've only driven twice then you've clearly swapped brains with Goyle or Crabbe to be that stupid." Harri crossed her arms, she was not impressed with her best friend.

"Come on Harri we have to get to Hogwarts. You don't want to miss the sorting ceremony, do you?"

"No" Harri muttered but Ron heard her.

"And we could be losing house points for being late. You don't want Gryffindor to start the year on negative points." Ron pointed out. Harri muttered _no_ again, thinking Ron was making valid points. "If anything they'll be happy with us for using our initiative and being so keen to get there on time."

"I didn't think of it like that." Harri admitted.

"Of course you didn't, but that's why I'm here." Rom told her, the pair shared a smile. "Besides where's your sense of fun?"

Harri sighed. "I'm going to regret every saying that to you" she said as she went to open the boot of the car and put her suitcase in.

Ron gave a little bump of his fist when he realised he had won the argument. The pair were quick to load their cases in the car before they set off. Harri thought Ron would be right, if anything they would be rewarded for their dedication to being on time and the school would be amazed at their entrance.

* * *

She couldn't have been more wrong.

It had not been a good first week for Harri what with getting detention on the first night after being attacked by a crazy tree. Then there had been the Howler Ron had received - ' _facing an inquiry at work'._ The guilt Harri felt over Mr Weasley being in trouble for her was immense. Him and Mrs Weasley had been so kind to her over the summer and now he was in trouble over her and Ron being stupid.

Her first night back though was a sign of things to come. Her new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher seemed to be an arrogant fool. Harri had been mortified in front of him on more than one occasion after he thought she was as fame hungry as him. Hermione and all the other girls seemed to think he was some handsome hero, Harri found herself agreeing with Ron who thought he was a bumbling idiot.

"Harri wake up!"

Harri opened her eyes and gave a yawn. Someone was stood over her bed shaking her to wake up. She swatted them away with an arm before going to grab her glasses. Once able to see again, she turned to see Angelina Johnson, a nice girl in the twin's year and a chaser on the Quidditch team.

"Angelina?"

"Sorry to wake you Harri but orders from Wood. We have our first training session." The older girl said with a sympathetic smile.

"But it's the first Saturday back." Harri pointed out. She then gestured to the window next to her. "And the sun isn't even up."

"I agree with you Harri, I want to be in my bed too. But if we all have to suffer through Wood's love of Quidditch, so do you." Harri gave a groan as she flopped back down against her pillow. "You have 15 minutes to be in robes and on the pitch" Angelina said over her shoulder as she walked out.

Harri gave one last sigh before she got up and went to retrieve her Quidditch robes. Hermione's head was poking out from behind the curtains around her four-poster bed.

"You heard?" Harri asked her best friend.

"I did, guess Ron and I will see you after." Hermione said. Harri gave her a nod before she disappeared back behind her curtain for a lie in Harri desperately wished she was having too.

She was quick to get ready and when she was finished, she checked herself over in the mirror. Her fingers came to play with the bottom strands of her hair, finally sat just above her shoulders and what she had wanted her hair to look like for as long as she could remember. She had seen Mrs Weasley cutting Ginny's hair over the summer and couldn't help herself and asked if Mrs Weasley could cut her hair too. The older woman had become quite good at giving haircuts and Harri loved the new length of her hair. Over the summer she had been loathed to put it up in a ponytail, reminding her of the Dursleys. However, Quidditch was impractical with hair flying in your face, so she was quick to throw her tangle of black hair up. She grabbed her nifty nimbus 2000 and made her way down the stairs.

A feeling of guilt had washed over her as she thought about the Weasleys again. She had sent a letter to Mr and Mrs Weasley apologising for the car incident and tried to explain what had happened. The woman had been kind enough to write back and though she was kind Harri could see some of her disappointment seeping through her letter.

"Harri!" The 12-year-old knew who it was before she saw him. She had reached the bottom of the stairs when Colin Creevey came bounding down from the boys to catch her, his camera swinging around his neck as usual.

"Morning Colin." Harri gave him a small smile. The boy made her slightly uncomfortable, Ron had pointed out he probably had a crush on her. He seemed to be obsessed with her but Harri hadn't really wanted to be mean so she had been trying to find some middle ground in the hopes the first year would realise and make the decision to leave her alone. It so far had not been working.

"I heard some boys talking about Quidditch practice and I knew you would be going seeing as you're on the team." He gave a bright smile as he met her. "I wanted to come show you what I got developed."

She looked at the photograph of her and Lockhart he had taken. Harri found herself smiling at her photo self who was trying with all her might to escape from photo Lockhart's embrace, and even managing to win after the exhausted photo Lockhart gave up.

"Will you sign it?" Colin asked eagerly. Harri could feel herself squirming under his gaze.

"Urm I actually have to get to Quidditch practice right now." Harri gave a point of her thumb over her shoulder as she made her way towards the common room exit.

"Oh yeah, I was gonna come watch." Colin told her. Harri looked down and finally seemed to notice he was fully dressed and looked ready to be sat outside all day.

"I don't know, it'll be quite boring. Just drills to get us back in to it after a summer away." Harri tried to down play it. She just knew the twins would make fun of her if she turned up with her own fan.

"Nonsense, there's so much to learn." Colin said, scrambling after her through the portrait hole. He didn't see her sigh of frustration as the younger boy followed her around like a talkative shadow. "You were the youngest house player in a 100 years weren't you?"

Before she knew it, she was explaining the rules of Quidditch to Colin but that may have been to get him to shut up talking about her. Ron wasn't kidding when he said Colin could be the president of her fan club. Though Harri had a suspicion the youngest Weasley child could fight him for it.

Harri's face pulled a small frown as she thought about Ginny Weasley. The young girl had not spoken a word to her all summer except when in Diagon Alley getting school supplies. When Harri was in the room Ginny either seemed to run from it or not even make a sound. Ron had explained it was because Ginny was such a big fan and was nervous around Harri. Harri though had ask what was she a fan of? Because she couldn't think of why she deserved one.

Harri had been grateful when Mrs Weasley told her she would be staying in Charlie's room in the Burrow and thankfully wouldn't have to share with Ginny. She honestly did think she would like the girl once they got to know each other, but right now she didn't think she would have enjoyed sharing a room with someone who couldn't even speak in her presence. Harri had tried a couple of times to catch her alone, to try talking with her but each attempt ended in failure.

Harri gave a sigh at her thoughts before turning back to Colin and telling him he couldn't come into the changing rooms with her.

"But Harri I could take some great photos, I know my dad would love-"

"Thanks Colin but we'll just be talking tactics. Save your film for an actual match." Harri gave him a small smile.

"Great idea Harri!" Colin responded enthusiastically. "I'm going to stay and watch the practice though. Better get out there and get myself a good seat."

As the boy ran off, Harri didn't have the heart to tell him he would be the only one there and could have any seat he wanted.

Unsurprisingly she was the last one there. Once she took her seat Wood was quick to launch into his board of tactics. Then his second board before his third board. Harri wasn't sure what board they were on when George Weasley next to her gave her a little nudge to wake her up. She gave a little jump but Wood didn't seem to notice. In fact, it only seemed to be George still awake.

"I've got a question Oliver." George asked, his voice rousing the others from their slumber. "Why couldn't you have told us all this yesterday when we were awake?"

Wood wasn't pleased.

The captain gave a speech/rant about how it was Gryffindor's year to win the cup, especially after last year having been so close before losing their last match so badly. Harri looked to the ground guiltily knowing her absence was one of the reason for that.

Finally, after what felt like hours, but in reality hadn't been that long, the team were up in the air. Ron and Hermione were in the stands munching on toast. Ron had asked if they finished yet when they came out and Harri had grumpily told him they were just starting.

"What's that funny clicking noise?" Fred asked, his broom next to Harri's. Her face turned a dark shade of red when she saw Colin in the stands clearly taking pictures of her with the occasional one of the team.

"Look this way Harri!" The boy screamed.

"Fan of yours Harri?" George asked as his broom came to the other side of her.

"More like stalker." Harri found herself muttering in her breath before speaking louder. "He's just a keen first year."

"Who looks like he has a crush on you." Fred teased. Somehow Harri went even redder.

"What are you talking about Fred? Everyone knows I'm the catch on this team." George said, puffing up his chest. Harri laughed.

"Will you three focus please." Wood shouted at them. The trio shared a grin before bringing their brooms back to the rest of the team. Oliver spotted Colin at this point. "Who's the boy? Why is he taking photos?"

"He's just a first year." Harri shrugged.

"He could be a Slytherin spy."

"Believe me he's Gryffindor through and through." Hari said with a strained smile.

"Slytherin don't need a spy anyway." George said. When Wood asked him why, he pointed out the Slytherin team were already there.

The Gryffindor team were quick to land and approach the other house. She couldn't believe her ears when Slytherin explained they had a new seeker and had permission from Snape to come practice. She found her fists clenching when Draco appeared and shot her a smug smirk. Her fury only seemed to grow when Flint, their captain, showed off their new brooms Malfoy's father had bought them all.

"Guess your secret weapon will be pretty useless this year with us flying on these." Flint mocked, his eyes flickering towards Harri. Harri wasn't going to let a team of boys intimidate her. She hadn't let Dudley's gang do it and she wasn't about to start now.

"So what if you're flying the nimbus 2001s, it'll just make it all the more sweeter when we beat you." Harri found herself saying. She stepped forward and crossed her arms.

"Don't be so sure on that Potter." Malfoy finally piped up, glaring daggers at Harri.

"Oh look a pitch invasion." Flint said sarcastically.

The Gryffindor team turned around to see Ron and Hermione had managed to make their way down on to the pitch.

"What's happening?" Ron asked Harri once he reached them. "Why aren't you playing? What's _he_ doing here?" Ron looked at Malfoy.

"I'm the new Slytherin Seeker Weasley," said Malfoy, smugly. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's brought our team." Ron gaped open mouthed at the seven superb broom-sticks in front of him. "Good, aren't they? But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms too. You could raffle off those Cleansweep Fives. I expect a museum would bid for them."

The Slytherin team howled with laugher.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to _buy_ their way in," Hermione said sharply. " _They_ got in on pure talent."

The smug look on Malfoy's face flickered.

"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood," He spat.

Harri had never heard of the word Mudblood before, and by the way Hermione reacted, Harri realised her friend hadn't either. The rest of the group clearly had though.

There were cries of uproar, Fred and George were trying to get their hands on Malfoy in outrage. Ron was so angry he had tried to hex Malfoy. But instead, with his broken wand, the spell had backfired and now Ron found himself vomiting up slugs.

Hermione and Harri had taken him down to Hagrid to help and it was there she learnt what the word Mudblood meant; how there were parts of the Wizarding community that held prejudice against those born from muggle parents, and most importantly, she learnt her new world of magic and fun, still had its dark parts.

Maybe it wasn't as perfect as it had originally seemed.


	7. A Bogey Coloured Potion

It was Christmas eve at Hogwarts. Harri was sat by the roaring fire in the Gryffindor common room. The room was eerily quiet seeing as the majority of students had gone home for the holidays. Harri wasn't sure what the time was, only that it was late.

She was sat in the arm chair thinking about the plan for tomorrow. Hermione said the polyjuice potion would be finished and the three of them could finally sneak into the Slytherin common room and get Malfoy's confession. The sooner the trio had it, the sooner people would stop saying she was the heir of Slytherin.

It was all because of that stupid duelling club and people seeing she spoke parslemouth. It had made the last few weeks at Hogwarts almost unbearable. Most of the Gryffindor students thought it was silly, but the rest of the school weren't so easily convinced. She could hear the whispers from others as she walked through the corridor and had overheard the Hufflepuffs talking in the library stating she had attacked Justin.

Harri could feel a familiar burn in the back of her throat as she tried to stop herself from crying. Sure, Ron and Hermione had been trying to help, but they couldn't stop the overwhelming feeling that the whole school hated her. Harri would put on a good show in front of her friends, shrugging off comments and saying she didn't care. It wasn't true though, and in moments like this when she was alone, she finally let the emotion show.

Hogwarts had been so different when she came, she had made friends easily and found she wasn't too bad on the academic side. Now though, she dreaded getting up in the morning, wondering what horrible thing she was going to be accused of next.

Harri quickly wiped a single tear that had fallen, glad no one could see her. Ron and Hermione had long since retired but Harri did feel like bed just yet. The only other people staying over Christmas in Gryffindor were the other Weasley children. Percy had returned earlier from patrolling the corridors, and had headed straight to bed claiming he was exhausted after a long day of being a prefect. Ginny had looked pale as ever, saying she didn't feel too well and went to bed shortly after. The only other people in the common room were the twins who were playing a game of wizard chess on the far side of the room.

Harri gave a sigh as she twirled the end of her hair with her finger, still not feeling like sleep but knew she should head to bed soon. She looked out the window and wondered if Hagrid would still be up, maybe she could go visit him? He always managed to cheer her up.

"Fancy a game of chess Harri?"

Harri's head whipped around to see one of the twins sitting opposite her holding a chess board. The other twin no longer in sight.

"Yeah why not, thanks….urm-" Harri began to say before realising she wasn't sure which one she was talking to.

"George." He helpfully supplied as he began to set up the chess game. "Don't worry, even mum struggles to tell us apart."

"Where's Fred?" Harri asked, taking the white pieces and setting them on the board.

"Went to bed." George answered. "Why haven't you gone up?

"Not tired." Harri gave a little shrug as she moved a piece and began the game. "What about you?"

"Can never sleep the night before Christmas. Usually Fred's the same but seems our duelling practice earlier took it out of him," George replied. Harri gave a little smirk with that comment having beaten Fred once or twice. She really did have a knack for the disarming spell.

The two fell into a comfortable silence as they played. It was quickly evident George was the better player, he wasn't the same standard as Ron but was easily beating Harri. She didn't mind though and was enjoying the distraction from her thoughts. Like Ron, the twins had taken to Harri quickly and she found she liked the twins' company. It also helped the three would bond in Quidditch training.

"Harri can I ask you a question?" George said after a while. His eyes focused on the board.

"Sure," though Harri gave a nervous gulp wondering what he would ask.

"Our match against Slytherin," George started, "when that bludger was attacking you, why didn't you just let us tell Madam Hooch? Why were you so determined to continue?"

Harri paused as she thought over her answer. She knew he was specifically referring to the moment when the Weasley twins had asked for a time out and demanded the game stop. They had tried really hard to keep her safe but she was determined to win and so she told them to back off. Harri had ended up catching the snitch and winning the match but she also sustained a broken arm….well she should have had a broken arm, Gilderoy's stupidity had meant she had an arm with no bones.

"I don't know." Harri said, she looked to the board herself, trying to act nonchalantly. "Part of it was because I wanted to beat Malfoy, I thought it was him that had enchanted it and I did want to let that ferret get a win over us." She could see George smirk at her comment before she continued. "And there's a part of me that wanted to prove to people I'm not just the _girl-who-lived._ You know? That I actual have talent."

Harri winced as another of her pieces was destroyed by George's, he was close to winning.

"I was hoping people would start putting my name with something different." Harri gave a bitter laugh. "Well it looks like I got my wish. Though being called the heir of Slytherin wasn't what I was hoping for."

"You do a good job of hiding how much it upsets you." George commented, moving a piece and finishing the game. "Check mate."

"Thank you." Harri told him, no longer looking at the board but at him.

"For beating you?"

"No for you and Fred making jokes about it." Harri elaborated. "Makes it easier to manage."

She was referring to the announcements of ' _heir of Slytherin coming through'_ down the corridor by the pair of them or when George told Percy _'she's just off to the chamber for a cup of tea'._

"Any time, though Fred and I should may be start charging for our services."

"You would make a lot of money quickly." Harri sighed as she stood up, finally feeling tired enough for bed.

"Anyone who thinks you're the heir is an idiot." George told her, packing up the game to head to bed himself. "I mean anyone as bad as you at chess clearly doesn't have the cunning to have descended from good odd Slythy."

Harri laughed as she made her way to the stairs leading to the bedrooms.

"I'll make sure to tell the school that when they return. Goodnight George."

"Goodnight Harri."

* * *

Harri looked at the lumpy green potion in the glass. She could not imagine it would taste any better than it looked.

Unsurprisingly Christmas at Hogwarts had been better than any Christmas she spent at the Dursleys. The feast was delicious and she found herself surrounded by friends as they enjoyed the day's festivities. Harri was proudly wearing her new Weasley jumper Mrs Weasley had made for her. Guilt nipped in her stomach over the enquiry Mr Weasley was still facing over the flying car incident, but it hadn't stopped Mrs Weasley sending Harri gifts. Her guilt increased tenfold though when she thought about the rule breaking she was about to commit.

She was stood in a stall about to take the bogey green potion to turn her into Goyle. Hermione and Ron agreed Malfoy would be most likely to talk to Crabbe and Goyle and they thought it best Harri play the role of Goyle. She gave a gulp as she thought about how bad the potion was going to taste. As she brought it to her lips, she paused and looked down to her lovely new jumper and thought she didn't want to get it ruined, she had seen what Dudley had done to clothes he tried on that were clearly too small for him. Goyle was taller and wider than her, and she knew her clothes would get stretched and ripped if she wore them while turning into him.

She quickly whipped off her jumper and took off her shoes. Hearing the other two were in their stalls, the sound of Ron moaning ' _ewww',_ Harri quickly dashed out so she could change into the larger robes Hermione had stolen from the laundry.

Once in her new uniform she steeled her courage and finally drank the foul-smelling potion. She had to work very hard not to throw it back up again. It was as she feared, it tasted as bad as it looked.

Immediately her insides started withering as if she had eaten live snakes. The ground seemed to be further away and she suddenly couldn't see, the world hazy through her glasses. She took them off realising Goyle would be able to see without glasses. She looked to her hands and could see the skin literally bubbling as she changed into Goyle. Harri fell to all fours as she gasped at the pain of her bones stretching, and the hair shrinking back into her head.

As suddenly as it started, it stopped. Harri gave a large breath before standing up, she could tell she was taller and she felt heavier. The weirdest sensation though came from between her legs. Her eyes went wide in surprised as she realised what part of the body she now had that she didn't have previously. She wiggled her hips a little, finding the sensation of the new body part rather disconcerting. She just hoped she didn't have to go to the loo when looking like Goyle.

"Harri are you coming out?" The sound of Vincent Crabbe shouted on the other side of her stall. Harri immediately stiffened before remembering it was Ron. She opened her door to see Ron/Crabbe looking back at her. "Blimey Harri, this is unbelievable."

"You—what—hello." The gruff voice of Goyle came from her mouth, "this is so strange."

She walked over to the mirror to not see Harri Potter looking back, but Gregory Goyle. When she lifted her hand to rub her ear, so did Goyle. She pulled back her fringe to see her identifying scar no longer there and ran her tongue over her new teeth.

"How you finding being a boy Harri?" Crabbe-she meant Ron-asked from next to her as both stood staring into the mirror. "It's weird seeing Goyle _thinking_."

"I have so many questions but we don't have time for them now." Harri answered honestly. She then walked over to the other locked stall where Hermione was yet to come out. "Hermione….are you okay?"

"I don't think I'm going to come after all." The high-pitched voice of Millicent Bulstrode answered. "You guys go without me."

"Hermione, we all know Millicent is ugly, no one's going to know it's you." Ron said, trying to coax her out of the stall.

"No – really – I don't think I'll come. You two go ahead, you're running out of time."

Harri gave Ron a confused look.

"That's more like Goyle." Ron told her. "He looks like that every time a teacher asks him a question."

"Hermione are you sure you're okay?" Harri shouted through the door, still finding it strange to hear Goyle's voice when she did so.

"I'm fine—just go." Hermione pleaded.

"Fine, but we'll come back here when we're done." Harri told her. She nodded her head towards the door as she spoke to Ron. "Come on, we've only got an hour remember."

* * *

Harri looked in the mirror to see her old self looking back at her. Her fringe was back to hide her scar and she now felt her balance return having come back down to her usual height. Ron had had to guide her down the last few passages as her poor eye sight returned and she had stupidly left her glasses in the girls' toilets. She looked over to Ron to see his bright red hair had returned and he looked like a child playing dress up in the robes a few sizes too big for him.

"Well that wasn't a complete waste of time." Ron said, gathering his own clothes to put back on. "I know we haven't found out who's doing the attacks, but I'm going to write to Dad tomorrow and tell him to check under the Malfoy's drawing room."

Harri was half listening though, instead she had gone over to Hermione's door and gave a gentle knock.

"Hey Hermione we're back. Ron and I are back to normal." She said through the door. She was sure something was wrong with her best friend. "Everything okay?"

"Go away!" Was Hermione's reply. Ron and Harri shared a worried look.

"Hermione what's wrong?" Ron asked, ignoring his clothes and coming to stand by Harri.

Moaning Myrtle suddenly glided out of the stall next to them and gave them a large, knowing smile.

"Ohhh, wait until you see." She told them with glee in her eyes. "It's _awful_."

The pair heard the lock on the door slide and Hermione finally stepped out.

'What's up? You still got Millicent's nose or something?" Ron teased, hoping the damage wasn't too bad.

Hermione let her robes fall and her companions tried to hide their shock but didn't do so well. Her face was covered in black fur and her eyes bright yellow.

"It was c-c-cat hair!" She howled. "M-Millicent m-must have a cat. And the p-p-potion isn't supposed to be used for a-animal transformation."

"Oh no." Said Ron.

"You'll be teased something dreadful." Myrtle chimed in. Harri shot her a glare before coming to wrap an arm around Hermione's shoulders.

"It's okay Hermione. Come on we can take you to Madame Pomfrey, she doesn't ask too many questions." Harri told her gently.

"Ohh this is puurrrfect." Myrtle gave a squeal in delight.

"Shut up Myrtle." Ron shot at the ghost but the dead girl ignored him.

"Wait until they see you have a tail." The ghost continued, causing Hermione to give a wail of her own as her tears continued to fall.

"They won't see because we're going to take you straight there." Harri pointed out, trying her best to get Hermione to ignore the annoying spook. "And everyone else is in bed. Ron and I just need to change out of these robes and then we'll take you."

"How can people not see her big bushy head of fur!" Myrtle was persistent and enjoying someone else being the butt of the joke for once.

"Myrtle do us all a favour and flush yourself down the toilet like you usually do." Harri snapped. The ghost paused in her laughing, upset at the Gryffindor's comments.

"Yeah Myrtle, we don't want you here." Ron said. Harri could see Hermione's cries were becoming lighter as she heard her friends sticking up for her.

"Well this is my toilet." Myrtle reminded them, her arms crossed as she huffed at the trio.

"And that's why no one else comes here." Harri said, she knew it was mean but she was more concerned about getting Hermione to Madame Pomfrey and to try and stop the ghost's taunting.

"You're mean Harri Potter. And I don't like you!" Myrtle huffed, her own wails now filling the bathroom as she flew into her toilet and decided to sit in the u-bend crying.

"Come on Hermione, let's get out of here before she comes back." Harri said.

Her fellow Gryffindor gave a few small nods, agreeing to their plan. Ron and Harri were quick to change into their own clothes before sneaking through the castle unseen until they reached the hospital wings.

As they suspected, Pomfrey didn't ask too many questions. She merely gave a sigh as she accepted their excuse of a spell going wrong. They only had to show Ron's wand as the culprit for her to believe it, with its sellotape in the middle and giving out the occasional spark as she examined the wand, it wasn't hard to believe a spell had gone so wrong with it.

Harri and Ron left Hermione in the hospital wing and promised they would come visit her the next day. The pair were quick to make their way back to the Gryffindor common room and found the Weasley twins and Ginny immersed in a game of exploding snap.

"Ah there you both are." Fred said when he turned his head to see who had joined them in the common room.

"We wondered where you had gone." George continued.

"Hermione had a stomach ache. We took her to the hospital wing." Harri explained. The other three believed their story and turned their attention back to their game.

Ron and Harri took their seats on the other side of the common room so the other three couldn't hear them.

"Ron, about what Malfoy said about your dad." Harri said after a pause. She saw her friend's ears go read at the mention of the enquiry and fine his dad now had to pay at work because of their actions. "I'm really sorry about it. If you want I could pay the fine. It's my fault after all we had to take the car after Dobby closed the barrier to stop me coming."

"Harri if you think my parents will take money off you then you're crazy." Ron told her with a weak smile. "It's not your fault the ministry was so harsh." Ron gave a sigh before continuing. "Dad sent a letter last week to us telling us about the fine. He said that there are some witches and wizards who don't like how muggle friendly he is and wanted to make an example out of him."

"That's rubbish Ron." Harri said, a face reflecting the sympathy she had for her friend.

"Mum always says if he didn't love muggles so much he could have been much higher in the ministry. Dad says what's the point of going to work if you don't love the job you have." Ron gave a shrug and Harri took the hint to move the conversation on.

"Well at least we now know Malfoy is all talk. He's been strutting around the place like he owns it when he's as clueless as the rest of us." Harri said, she could see Ron's shoulders relax at the change of subject.

"But if it's not Malfoy then who is it?" Ron asked.

"I don't know Ron." Harri gave a worried sigh, wondering who else in the school could be capable of opening the chamber and hurting so many people. She looked to the clock to see it was 11pm. "Nothing we can do about it now though. Come on it's still Christmas, and you still have to beat me in chess."

"You never know, this could be the time you win." Ron said with a grin as he got up to collect his chess board.

"I doubt I'll ever be able to beat you at Wizard chess." Harri told him. "Though I reckon I could take you at football."

"Foot-what?" Ron paused at the end of the stairs. "That thing Dean always goes on about? Where you kick a foot shaped ball?"

Harri found herself laughing at Ron's questions, who only continued to give her a confused stare.

"Never mind, go get the chess board." Harri said, still laughing as her friend ran up the stairs.


	8. Into the Chamber

Harri walked into the large chamber, her footsteps echoing all around her. She must have been miles under the school. The cavern was massive, and at the end stood the centre piece of a statue of Salazar Slytherin. Harri didn't care about that though, instead her focus was on the small red-headed figure lying at its base.

"Ginny!" Harri gave a yell as she ran forward. She crouched by the girl's side. Her face was pale but she was still breathing. Harri hated to admit how shallow the breaths were and she knew Ginny needed help soon.

Harri put her wand on the floor next to her as she rolled the girl over to check for injuries. "Wake up Ginny," she began to mutter.

"She won't wake." A soft voice next to her caused her to look up to see the figure of Tom Riddle stood watching over the pair of young girls.

"Tom—Tom Riddle." Harri said out loud. The older boy gave her a small smirk. "What are –how are you….what do you mean she won't wake?" Harri turned to look at Ginny again to confirm she saw her breathing. "She's still breathing."

"Oh she is alive, but only just." Tom elaborated.

Harri turned her attention to the 16-year-old. This wasn't possible, he had been alive 50 years ago but here he was stood in front of her as if she were back in his memories.

"What are you?" She asked. He wasn't a ghost, she could tell because he had colour to him but there was something about him that made her feel he wasn't entirely alive.

"I'm a memory." He told her, gesturing to the discarded book on the other side of Ginny. "Preserved in a diary for fifty years."

Harri could now see the hazy outline to Tom's figure, as if he was flickering in the light.

"Look we can talk about how you got here later, but we need to get Ginny out of her." Harri said, she heard a small chuckle come from Tom. "What's so funny? Come on, we need to leave before whoever brought her here comes back and sets the Basilisk on us."

Riddle didn't move though, and Harri felt a pit of dread open in her stomach.

"You're not going to help are you." Harri stated, recognising a cold look in Riddle's eyes. Her hand edged along the floor reaching for where she left her wand but when she didn't feel it, she looked to see the ground empty. When she looked back up she saw Riddle twirling her wand in his hands.

"Looking for this?" He asked, his smile holding no warmth.

"Where's the Basilisk?" Harri asked, standing up and trying to shield Ginny's body from him.

"It won't come until it's called." He told her.

"Until you call it." Harri corrected him. The dots all suddenly connecting in her head. The older boy's smile spread but Harri felt no glee, instead she felt like he was a predator and she was his prey he was toying with before the kill.

"I'm impressed Potter. It took Ginny a whole lot longer to realise I wasn't someone to be trusted." Tom commented, his entire body relaxed as he took control of the situation. "I have been so looking forward to this conversation and you have not disappointed me."

"It was you, wasn't it? You opened the chamber 50 years ago." Harri summarised. Riddle gave a cold and high pitched laugh making the hairs on the back of Harri's neck stand up. "And you framed Hagrid for it."

"Well the oaf made it easy keeping that monster around the school." Tom gave an arrogant shrug. "Dippet the headmaster was already looking for a reason to expel him, wasn't a fan of the brute. I just gave him what he wanted. I have to admit though, I was surprised how well the plan worked. I thought surely they must realise Hagrid couldn't possibly be the heir of Slytherin. It had taken me five whole years to find out everything I could about the Chamber of Secrets and discover the secret entrance….as though Hagrid had the brains, or the power!"

"But Dumbledore knew, didn't he? He knew Hagrid was innocent." At the sound of the older wizard's name she could see Tom's jaw clench as he tried to keep his calm.

"Ah yes my dear old transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore. Persuaded Dippet to keep Hagrid around and train him up as the gamekeeper." Riddle gave a snide smile. "He certainly kept a close eye on me after that meaning I couldn't open the chamber again while here. But I wasn't going to let my hard work go to waste. So I left a piece of my 16-year old self in a diary."

"But how did you open it this time?" Harri asked.

"Why dear Ginny of course." The older boy looked to the Weasley on the floor.

He then began to explain how since September Ginny had been writing in his diary, letting her emotions flow through the pages and allowing Tom to control her. How she had released the Basilisk over the school and killed Hagrid's roosters. He described how Ginny told him all about Harriet Potter, her biggest idol and how Ginny wanted to be just like Harri, so strong and brave. Harri clenched her jaw at this, angry Tom had been using Ginny so. At the end of his speech Harri could feel her fists clenched tightly at her side as she tried to keep her calm.

"Well you've failed. Tonight, the Mandrake draught will be given to those petrified and they'll all be fine. You didn't kill anyone and I have a friend up there that knows all about your Basilisk and how it moves around the school." Harri told him boldly, thinking of Hermione. "Dumbledore will come back and kill it."

"Have you not been paying attention dear Harriet?" Tom said with a condescending smile. "Have I not made it clear that I don't care about killing Mudbloods anymore? For many months now I've had a new target – _you."_

He explained how happy he had been when Harri had found his diary and started talking to him, only to be furious when Ginny had stolen the diary back. It hadn't deterred him though, and instead he made Ginny attack Hermione knowing it would cause Harri to investigate the Chamber further.

"So I made Ginny write her own farewell on the wall and come down here to wait. She struggled and cried and became _very_ boring. But there isn't much life left in her; she put too much into the diary, into me. Enough to let me leave its pages at last. I have been waiting for you to appear since we arrived here. I knew you'd come. I have many questions for you, Harriet Potter."

"Then ask them." Harri spat, her fists still clenched.

"Well," said Riddle, smiling pleasantly, "how is it that a baby, nay a girl, with no extraordinary magical talent managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you escape with nothing but a scar, while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?"

There was an odd red gleam in his hungry eyes now.

"Why does it matter if I'm a girl?" Harri found herself asking back, her breaths hard as she tried to control her anger.

"Please, girls are the weaker sex. They can make worthy allies but true power lies in men." Tom answered back. "It baffles me why the dark lord would waste his talent and time in trying to kill you."

"Why do you care? Voldemort was after your time." Harri asked slowly.

"Voldemort," Tom said quietly, "is my past, present and future."

Harri was in shock as Tom spelled out his full name TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE, and transformed it into I AM VOLDEMORT.

Her brain seemed to be jammed as he explained where the name came from and she was even more surprised to hear Tom's father had been muggle, something he hated. He had killed so many people, making more orphans like himself. Harri could not hold her tongue any longer though when Tom described himself as the greatest wizard in the world.

"But you're not." Harri found herself saying without thinking.

"I'm now what?" Tom snapped.

"You're not the greatest wizard in the world." Harri said, a small smile of her own on her lips. "Albus Dumbledore is." Harri's smile grew as she saw Tom's reaction to the man's name. "Albus Dumbledore is the greatest wizard the world has ever known. Everyone says so. Even the real you was too scared to take him on. Even in the height of your power you dare not touch Hogwarts in fear of him. Right now you are nothing but a distant memory, the real you is out there hiding like the coward you are."

Riddle was no longer smiling, and an ugly expression of anger and hate marred his face.

"Albus Dumbledore has been driven from this school by the mere memory of me." He hissed.

"No he's not. As long as there are people loyal to him, he will always be at Hogwarts." Harri said defiantly, remembering her headmaster's words as he left Hagrid's hut that night.

Tom opened his mouth to speak but froze at the sound of music. Harri looked up to see Fawkes carrying the Sorting Hat into the chamber, and dropped it at her feet.

Riddle was unimpressed and Harri soon found herself battling the Basilisk.

* * *

Harri sat in her compartment with Ron and Hermione waiting for the train to start taking them home. She was overjoyed to have Hermione back with them and grateful no one had died at the hands of Voldemort this year. She thought over the conversation she had with Dumbledore the night she had defeated Riddle.

He reassured her and proved she was always meant to be in Gryffindor. She was unsettled with the news she had some of Voldemort's powers but it at last explained why she could talk to snakes. Another part of the conversation was also prominent in her mind.

" _Professor, in the Chamber, Tom made a comment about women. Saying they were weaker than men." Harri said, she watched as her headmaster gave her a small smile._

" _I am afraid to say Harri, that though the wizarding world is advanced in many areas, there are a few who still hold old fashioned notions." He explained. "As you get older you will find some will judge you on your sex rather than your talent."_

Harri had nodded saying no more on the subject. Lucius Malfoy had then stormed in and Harri was surprised to see Dobby trailing in after him. After some cunning Salazar Slytherin would have been proud of, she had managed to get the house elf freed from his servitude with the promise he never try and save her life again.

After all the excitement with the Chamber, the last few weeks of the year had passed quickly and without incident. Hermione had gotten her and Ron to fill her in on everything she missed. Harri had taken over at the part where they had described Aragog to her, Ron white as a sheet and too scared to talk when he thought about that encounter. Harri herself had not been a fan of spiders before the meeting, now she found herself being more akin to Ron's views on the creatures.

The trio had visited Hagrid several times. He refused to tell them what had happened at Azkaban and the three could tell he was rattled by it, but he did his best to not to show it. He was grateful to them for being able to clear his name, not only this time but for 50 years ago.

The whistle from the conductor brought Harri back to the present as the train pulled away from the station. A sad look crossed her face when she realised she wouldn't see Hogwarts for several months.

"You guys fancy a game of exploding snap?" The three people in the compartment looked to their door which had been slid open for the twins to walk in. Ginny was behind them but when she saw Harri she did an about turn and walked away.

"I'll be back in a minute." Harri said. Hermione and Ron gave her knowing looks before she left the carriage and quickly hurried after Ginny. She had tried to catch the girl and talk to her after the Chamber but Ginny had a knack for disappearing whenever Harri was around.

Harri was quick though and managed to catch Ginny only a few compartments down, still in the corridor.

'Ginny we need to talk." The Weasley girl finally stopped walking away and turned to look at her. There was more colour in her cheeks and she looked happier than Harri had seen her all year, Tom's influence no longer affecting her.

"What do you want to talk about Harri?" Ginny asked. She looked to the ground, avoiding the older girl's eye. She could see the tip of her ears sticking out under her long red hair, they were starting to go pink like her brother's did.

"You." Harri stated. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay. Feeling a lot better now I'm not writing in that diary." Ginny admitted with a shrug. "Can't believe I was stupid enough to write in it in the first place."

"Hey I wrote in it too. Let him show me a memory. You're not stupid Ginny." Harri told her a small smile. She was glad to see Ginny give her a small one back.

"Thank you by the way, for saving me." Ginny said.

"Your Ron's sister, I wasn't going to let Gilderoy leave you down there." Harri said. Ginny gave a nod in understanding. The two paused before Harri spoke again. "You know you don't have to be scared about talking to me. I like to think I'm quite nice."

"You are, that's why I am scared to talk to you." When Harri gave her a confused look, Ginny decided to continue. "I've always wanted to meet you; you were my idol growing up. It's not easy being surrounded by 6 brothers and being the only girl. But when I read your story about how you defeated You-Know-Who as a baby, well I thought that was the type of witch I wanted to be when I grow up."

"And then Ron wrote letters last year about how brave and kind you are. It made me want to be like you even more." Ginny continued. "So when I finally got to meet you in the summer I just kind of panicked about what to say to you in case I said something stupid and you ended up hating me. And then the next time I saw you I just thought about how embarrassing I was the first time. And then I just couldn't say anything to you."

Harri gave the girl a sympathetic smile.

"I know I'm just Ron's sister but I am still really grateful you saved me." Ginny finished.

"You know I think that's the most I've ever heard you speak." Harri teased, earning a smile off the younger girl. "Ginny, you're not _just Ron's sister,_ you're Ginny Weasley. I can't imagine what it's like to grow up with 6 older brothers. I also don't understand why you've chosen me to idolise. What I do know is that I want to be your friend and I don't want you to be scared about talking to me."

"You want to be my friend?" Ginny asked, amazement in her voice.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" Harri asked back. Ginny didn't answer though and instead threw her arms around Harri and gave her a hug. After her initial shock, Harri wrapped her arms around Ginny and hugged her back. They stayed like that for a moment before they pulled away.

"I would love to be your friend Harri." Ginny said, with the biggest smile Harri had ever seen on her face.

"Great, come on, I think Fred still has some of those fireworks he can set off before we get back to King's Cross." Harri started walking back to her compartment with Ginny following.

The group looked up at their return but no one said anything. Hermione had a knowing smile and Ron looked grateful but they quickly focused back on their game of exploding snap. At some point in the journey Ginny informed the group that she had walked in on Percy snogging his girlfriend earlier in the year. George and Fred looked like Christmas had come early with the information.

All too quickly the group found themselves back at Kings Cross. Before they got off the train, Harri quickly tore off some parchment and scribbled the same number down twice before ripping it into two separate notes.

"Here. This is my telephone number." She said to Ron and Hermione as she handed the notes to them. "I told your dad how to use a phone last summer, so hopefully you can call me at the Durselys instead of using owls. Though maybe don't mention Hogwarts to them when you call."

"Why not?" Ron asked. The group grabbed their cases and were making their way to the exit.

"I don't think they would like knowing I've given their number out to, in their words, a bunch of weirdos." Harri explained.

"But surely Harri they'll be really proud of you? When they hear what you did this year." Hermione said.

"Proud?" Harri scoffed. "Are you mad? All those times I could have died and didn't manage it? They'll be furious."

And together they walked through the gateway to the muggle world.


	9. A Balloon Shaped Aunt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has been kind enough to kudos, comment or follow. I'm new to Ao3 so any suggestions for tags or how to improve the formatting would be greatly appreciated. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy  
> Vex

_Just think about the Hogsmeade form. Just think about the Hogsmeade form_

It was the mantra Harri had to keep reminding herself of every time she heard Marge open her big mouth. Vernon's sister had come to visit Privet Drive and Harri had made the deal that if she acted like the Dursleys wanted, then her Uncle would sign her permission slip to visit Hogsmeade this year. The week had been a struggle but the end was in sight, it was Marge's last night here and Harri was so close to getting what she wanted.

As she sat listening to Marge drone on about her bulldogs, Harri's mind wandered, thinking about Hedwig and hoping her owl was okay. She had sent her away during Marge's visit to be on the safe side. Her heart also gave a sad pang when she thought her birthday cards and presents she was hiding under her floor upstairs waiting for Marge's departure before she could safely take them out again.

"Girl, are you paying attention." Marge's fingers snapped at her, bringing her back to the dinner table. Harri didn't know why Marge insisted she sat with them, she, Petunia and Vernon would much prefer for her to leave them alone and be in her room. However, Marge always insisted she eat with them. It made Harri think the woman just liked to have someone to complain about.

That was all Marge did with her. Make comments about how she looked, too skinny or dishevelled. She would compare to her little diddikins, who would always beam with pride at her comments. Harri had learnt over the years to just nod along and keep her mouth shut. Earlier in the week Harri hadn't been able to control herself when Marge had made comments about her mother and without meaning to, her magic had acted on its own volition and had broken the glass in Marge's hand.

Marge had played it off, thinking it was her own grip. Her Aunt and Uncle knew though it was Harri's fault. Thankfully the rest of the week had gone without incident and Harri could see the signed form was in touching distance.

"Away with the fairies that one." Aunt Marge gave a nod in her direction, speaking as if Harri wasn't there. Her cheeks were flushed as she drank her second brandy after 2 glasses of wine with her dinner. "What did you say she calls herself these days?"

"I like to be called Harri." The 13-year-old chimed in, Vernon shot her a glare. She quickly looked back to her plate and bit the inside of her lip to stop herself speaking again.

"Harri?" Marge spat out. "Isn't that a boy's name?"

"Exactly what we thought. It's why we refuse to call her it." Vernon said with a smile. Dudley sent her a snide look.

"Harriet is such an ugly name as well, don't know what her parents were thinking." Harri felt her hands clench into fists under the table but managed to hold her tongue. "And her hair, what a mess. No wonder you told her to put it up for all those years."

Marge gave a loud laugh that the rest of the Dursley's joined in. Harri bit the inside of her cheek. Petunia had made many attempts to get her to put it up while home for the summer but gone were the days her aunt could boss her around. If anything, Harri liked to keep it down as another way of aggravating Petunia. She would admit it was getting long, now past her shoulders, and she hoped she could see Mrs Weasley before school started so she could cut her hair again back to the length she liked.

"And she's far too skinny," Marge persisted. Harri didn't think she should mention she looked even skinner when Dudley's hand me downs were hanging off her. "Proper woman have curves, this one has a mean, runty look about her. You get that with dogs. I had Colonel Fubster drown one last year. Ratty little thing it was. Weak. Underbred."

Harri's eyes were fixed onto her empty plate. She thought about her new broom care handbook Hermione had got her for her birthday last week.

"It all comes down to blood." Marge continued. "As I was saying the other day. Bad blood will out. Now, I'm not saying nothing against your family Petunia" – she patted Aunt Petunia's bony hand with a shovel-like one, "but your sister was a bad egg. They turn up in the best families. Then she ran off with a wastrel and here's the result right in front of you."

Harri could taste blood in her mouth from where she was biting her cheek so hard. A funny ringing sound was in her ear as she tried to think about Chapter 12 in the broom care book but she couldn't remember the title.

"May I be excused?" Harri managed to spit out. She dare not look up in fear she would see Marge's round face with her numerous chins, and not be able to hold herself back from leaping across the table and punching it.

"Yes I think-" Vernon began to say but Marge interrupted.

"No I think the girl should stay. Hear the truth about her family. She must have realised herself she's not a pedigree like Dudley here." Aunt Marge's voice was loud and if Harri was not mistaken, slightly slurred as the alcohol worked its way through her. Hari finally looked up and was locked in a staring match with Marge, all thoughts of why she was tolerating the woman leaving her mind.

"You don't know anything about my family." Harri found herself saying, she could feel her nails digging into her palms as she clenched her fists tighter.

"BRANDY MARGE?" Vernon shouted trying to distract his sister. Harri could see the warning glares he was sending her but she didn't care, her focus on the middle-aged woman staring at her from across the table.

"Listen here little Harriet," Marge gave a hiccup before continuing, "Your father was a good-for-nothing, lazy scrounger who-"

"Don't talk about my father." Harri could feel herself shaking, an anger in her she had never felt before.

The table fell silent, the Dursleys holding bated breaths before Vernon finally seemed to find his voice.

"Harriet you best head to bed-" he tried to say, his face a pale purple but Marge was not finished with her yet.

"No Vernon," she held up a finger and pointed it at her, her tiny bloodshot eyes fixed on Harri. "Go on, girl, go on. Proud of your parents, are you? They go and get themselves killed in a car crash (drunk I expect)-"

"The only drunk around here seems to be you." Harri spat. She heard an audible intake of breath from her Aunt.

"How dare you." Marge seethed, showing her family resemblance to Vernon by copying his favourite shade of purple. "Your parents-"

"Accomplished more in their lives than you will ever hope to achieve." Harri continued, no longer caring about the consequences from her Aunt and Uncle. And then she thought it had gone this far she may as well throw in what she always wanted to say, "You sad old woman!"

"HARRIET!" Her Uncle screamed, Petunia had gone white in the horror of where the conversation had turned. Dudley only had a look of glee on his fat face watching the drama unfold.

"Your parents wasted their short lives." Marge hissed, her bandy on the table forgotten about.

"MY PARENTS WERE HEROES!" Harri shouted, jumping to her feet and staring at her Aunt.

"Your parents are no heroes, you nasty little liar, they died and left you to be a burden on their decent hardworking relatives!" Screamed Aunt Marge, swelling with fury. "You are an insolent, ungrateful-"

Marge stopped speaking suddenly, her mouth open to continue but no sound coming out. She looked to her finger and saw it had started to balloon. Soon the rest of her body was swelling up until Marge resembled a large ball. Harri didn't stick around and knew she was in big trouble. While the Dursleys fussed over Marge, Harri ran to her room to collect her wizard items up there and then ran down to the cupboard under the stairs to grab her Hogwarts luggage. _Thank you Weasley twins for showing me how to pick muggle locks_ she thought, then quickly made her way to the front door.

"COME BACK HERE!" She heard her Uncle shout. She looked up to see him storming down the hallway to her. "FIX HER!" He pointed back into the kitchen where Marge, now a sphere, was stuck on the kitchen ceiling.

A reckless anger came over Harri and she pulled her wand out of her trunk and pointed it at her Uncle. He froze in the hallway, not daring to take any more steps towards her.

"She got what she deserved." She looked over his shoulder to see Petunia and directed her next comment at her. "How can you let her say things like that? About your own sister?"

"You will come back in here and you will put her right." Uncle Vernon was quiet as he spoke but Harri could hear the anger in his voice.

"I will do no such thing." She told him, her attention back on him. "I'm going, I've had enough of this place."

And with that Harri threw open the door and walked into the dark street with her Hogwarts case dragged by one hand and Hedwig's cage under her arm. She didn't look back and kept walking until at least a few streets away.

She gave a sigh as she sat on the pavement and looked around. A feeling of hopelessness filled her as she realised she had performed underage magic and no doubt the ministry would be looking for her to snap her wand and expel her from Hogwarts.

Harri began to plan how best to make her escape so she could hide, but that would require getting to Gringotts to get her money out, and right now she couldn't fathom how she was going to get to London. She was at a loss of what to do and combined with Marge's words to her not only tonight but throughout the week, Harri felt defeated. She couldn't help but place her heads in her hands and begin to cry.

"You're so stupid Harriet Potter. Why can't you just keep your big mouth shut?" She whispered to herself. After a few moments, she felt the last of her tears fall and she wiped them away with the back of her hand.

Suddenly the hairs on the back of Harri's neck stood up and she got the distinct feeling she was being watched. She looked across the road down the alley opposite and thought she could see something in the dark.

" _Lumous"_ Harri said. She stood up and lifted her wand in the direction to the alley. Harri could see a large black dog with gleaming eyes staring back at her. She stepped back in fear forgetting her trunk was right behind her.

She gave a yelp as she fell to the floor, her wand flew out her wand as her other hand went to break her fall. The street with filled with a blinding light and Harri had to quickly jump back from the curb to avoid being hit by a violently purple triple decker bus. She saw in golden letters THE KNIGHT BUS scrawled on the front.

Her attention on the vehicle, she didn't notice the large black hound slink into the darkness, about to start its journey up north to Hogwarts.

* * *

"Harri. HARRI!" At the sound of her name she looked around and found the voice belonged to none other than Ron Weasley, her best friend. She gave a wide smile as she walked over to the ice cream shop where he was sat with her other best friend Hermione Granger.

"Hey, I hoped I would see you guys around here." Harri said once she reached them. She was talking about Diagon Alley where she had spent most of her days the last week until it was time to return to Hogwarts. Though Fudge had been kind enough to get her a room at the Leaky Cauldron since the incident with Marge, Harri was starting to find it lonely so was overjoyed when she saw her friends.

Both Ron and Hermione looked like they had been enjoying the sun. Hermione was tanned, no doubt from her holiday in France with her parents, while Ron was more freckly than usual. Hermione stood up and gave her a hug, Harri could see she was now slightly taller than Hermione. Ron had stood awkwardly before Harri laughed and pulled him in for a hug too. The boy had grown again and was easily a few inches taller than her, she wondered how long it would be before he was 6 feet.

The trio sat and chatted about their summer. Ron's summer sounded the most interesting having gone to Egypt to visit his oldest brother Bill who was a curse breaker. The family had been lucky enough to win a cash prize from the Daily Prophet. Harri had kept the newspaper clipping Ron had sent her about it when he sent her birthday card.

The talk quickly turned to Harri's accidental magic and her running away from Privet Drive. Hermione had given her a disapproving look throughout her story while Ron found the whole thing very amusing. Both were surprised as she was when Fudge, the Minster for Magic, hadn't expelled her.

The group headed over to the pet shop to sort out Ron's pet rat Scabbers who looked worse for wear. Hermione had initially gone in for an Owl, an early birthday present but she instead bought a flat-faced ginger cat.

Ron was not amused seeing as the cat, Crookshanks, had tried to eat Scabbers. Harri gave a sigh as she listened to her two friends argue all the way back to the Leaky Cauldron. She was happy to hear the Weasleys and Hermione would be staying overnight too before the train in the morning.

They found Mr Weasley reading the Daily Prophet in the corner of the pub, the front image being Sirius Black screaming at the camera. Harri once again felt the feeling of recognition, as if she had seen the face before. She had felt that way every time she saw the photo of Black but she couldn't picture where she had seen him previously. When Mr Weasley saw them approaching, he quickly folded the paper hiding the photo from the teenagers.

"Harri," he said, smiling as he looked up. "How are you?"

"I'm okay thanks." She replied. She gestured her head to the paper when she spoke next. "They still haven't caught him yet?"

"No." Said Mr Weasley looking extremely grave. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far."

Ron made a comment about if they would get a reward if they caught him. His father was not amused. It was strange seeing Mr Weasley's face look serious, Harri thought. The subject was changed though when Mrs Weasley came into the room, holding multiple shopping bags in each hand. She was accompanied by Percy, Ginny and the twins.

Harri shared a smile with Ginny who sent one back. She still saw her ears tinge pink but it was a better start than last summer had been. After their talk on the Hogwarts Express Harri hoped the younger girl would relax around her but time would tell.

"Harriet. How nice to see you." Percy said, holding out his hand and shaking Harri's. She gave him a bewildered look at his formality.

"Hello Percy." Harri said with a smirk and trying not to laugh. She opened her mouth to congratulate him on becoming Head Boy but the twins had other ideas.

"Harriet!" Fred cried as he elbowed Percy out the way and gave a deep bow. "Simply _splendid_ to see you old girl-"

"Marvellous," George continued, shoving Fred out the way and grasping Harri's hand firmly in his own. He shook it up and down widely causing Harri to laugh. "Absolutely spiffing."

"That's enough now." Mrs Weasley said.

"Mum!" said Fred, as thought he'd only just spotted her, and seized her hand too. "How really corking to see you –"

"I said, that's enough." Mrs Weasley repeated though there was a small smirk on her lips at the twins' antics.

Harri was greeted with a large hug from the family matriarch, with a promise she would cut Harri's hair that night after Harri asked. They then discussed Percy being the new Head Boy, much to Fred and George's chagrin, their mother reminding them they didn't get made prefects this year. Harri gave her own congratulations to Percy before heading up stairs with Ron and Hermione to continue their catch up.

* * *

It was dinner time at the Leaky Cauldron and Tom the inn keeper had put together a large table so the whole Weasley family could sit down, with Hermione and Harri joining them. She found herself at the end of the table with Ron and Hermione on one side and the twins the other. She played with the ends of her hair which now sat halfway down her neck. It was a bit shorter than last time she got it cut but Mrs Weasley pointed out it would last for longer.

"So Harri, get up to any mischief over the summer?" Fred…or maybe it was George, asked her during their third course.

"Well I made my Aunt Marge swell to the size of balloon and she got stuck on the kitchen ceiling." Harri said with a shrug. The twins erupted into laughter and Harri found herself chuckling.

"That isn't funny. Harri's lucky she didn't get in trouble for it." Hermione gave the three a sharp look.

"Come off it Hermione. Like Harri said earlier, she didn't mean it," Ron defended her. Conscious of the adults at the table looking at her Harri thought she would change the subject.

"I heard you guys put some beetles in Bill's food while on holiday." Harri said to the twins.

"One of our simpler pranks." Fred said.

"But effective." George finished. Harri gave a smile, forgetting over the summer how the twins talked in synchrony.

"Well it gave me an idea. Remember how I got those cockroach clusters from the trolley on the train home last year by mistake?" Harri said to Ron and Hermione who both nodded. "Well after Ron's letter about the beetle prank, I remembered I still had the cockroaches somewhere. I just happened to leave them lying around the house and would you believe my cousin helped himself to them."

Harri laughed with Ron and his brothers but Hermione still had a disapproving look.

"That's not nice Harri." She told her friend.

"Hermione it's not my fault Dudley eats everything he sees." Harri defended herself. "Besides the big oaf didn't even realise what he was eating. I'm pretty sure he asked my aunt to buy more of those _delicious brown sweets_." She could see Hermione was trying not to smile so Harri decided to give the kicker. "Apparently, he liked the crunch."

At that the group laughed even more with Hermione joining in this time.

"We need to be careful Fred." George said once the laughing subsided.

"How so George." His twin replied.

"Looks like dear Miss Potter is trying encroach on our turf."

"Ah yes, well we'll see how she likes it when it's the two of us that save the school this year and earn Gryffindor the house cup." Harri blushed at their comments but laughed with them all the same.

At some point during their fourth course, Hermione and Ron started talking about Crookshanks again. Not wanting to be stuck in the middle Harri turned her attention to the twins and asked, "How you feeling for Quidditch this year?"

"Excited to go back but dreading what Wood has in store." George answered honestly.

"Yeah after the last two years of being so close but not winning, the man's going insane," said Fred.

"This is his last year to win before graduating. He'll be a man on a mission."

"Like he wasn't already." Harri commented, the twins smirking at her. "I can't wait to see Malfoy's face when we beat him again this year."

"Reckon his dad has brought him some talent yet?" George asked causing Harri to snigger.

"Not enough money in the world to buy Draco Malfoy talent." Harri replied causing all three to laugh.

"Him and Percy should have a competition to see who's head's bigger." Fred stated and George gave a nod.

"Reminds me, Harri can you see if you can nick Percy's badge again? He's too on guard with us around." George asked her.

"I don't think I'll be any help there. Listening to Ron earlier, it's hidden somewhere in their room." Harri told them. "Though if one of you were to pretend to go to your room now, you would have time to search theirs."

"I'll go, if we both go Mum and Percy will suspect something." Fred said before giving George a pat on the back and standing up from the table.

Harri turned her head to look at Ron and Hermione and gave a sigh when she saw the two still arguing over Hermione buying Crookshanks.

"What's going on with those two?" George asked, jutting his head in the direction of her best friends.

"Ron's not happy with Hermione's new pet. Her cat tried to eat Scabbers after leaping on Ron's head," Harri explained. "I'm not getting involved."

"That's a good idea." George gave her a smile. He paused before his next comment. "So what happened at your house that made you want to run away?"

Harri looked at George and saw there was no teasing in his eyes but simple curiosity. She had to admit though she was good friends with both the twins, she was slightly closer with George. Both had taken to her like a little sister and she was grateful for that, seeing them both as older brothers. But George was a little bit kinder than Fred and was always willing to listen to her whether over a game of chess or walking back up from practice.

"I just had enough." Harri gave a shrug before continuing. "It's difficult as it is there when home for the summer. They act like magic doesn't exist and if I mention it they go crazy. But it wasn't going too bad, I just kept to myself in my room."

"Then Aunt Marge came. She's even worse than my Uncle Vernon. I somehow managed the whole week without losing my temper at her and then on the final night she had a bit too much to drink and was insulting me more than usual-"

"More than usual?" George prompted, a sad look in his eye.

"Oh yeah her favourite three topics are her bulldogs, her perfect, little nephew Dudley and then complaining about me." Harri said with a sad smile. "But I'm usually fine with it and can hold my tongue. But this time she went off about my parents and I just couldn't help myself. It's why she found herself stuck on the ceiling." Harri paused before giving a laugh. George gave her a quizzical look. "I finally told her she was a sad old woman. I've been wanting to tell her that for years."

At that George did laugh.

"I just knew after that though I couldn't stay. So, I left the house, accidently summoned the Knight bus and made my way here." Harri gave a shrug at the end of her story.

"Well if it's any consolation, your family sound like a right bunch of idiots, even for muggle standards." George said earning a laugh off Harri.

"You're not wrong there George." She agreed.

At that point Fred re-joined them and the conversation moved on to talk about how they were getting to the station the next day. Harri was surprised as the rest of them to hear the ministry would be providing cars. It wasn't until later that night, when she overheard Mr and Mrs Weasley's conversation that she realised the cars were because of her; because Sirius Black had escaped and wanted to kill Harriet Potter.


	10. Fear Itself

Harri walked into the Great Hall for breakfast and immediately felt her face turn red in anger when she saw Malfoy miming her fainting on the train the day before.

"Ignore him." Hermione told her, walking on the otherside of the table to her and Ron. "Just ignore him, it's not worth it."

"Prick." Harri said under breath and she saw Ron smirk at her in agreement.

"Hey Potter!" shrieked Pansy Parkinson. "The Dementors are coming, Potter! _Wooooo!"_

Harri gritted her teeth as she made her way over to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to one of the Weasley twins. She thought it was George as Fred seemed to be the one talking to Angelina on the other side of the table, but she wasn't sure.

"New third-year timetables," said George, passing them over. He looked at the scowl on Harri's face as she angrily began to throw scrambled egg on to her plate. "What's up with you Harri?"

"Malfoy," Ron spat out as an explanation, sitting down on George's other side and glaring over at the Slytherin table.

George looked up in time to see Malfoy pretending to faint with terror again.

"That little git," he said calmly. "He wasn't so cocky last night when the Dementors were down our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he Fred?"

Fred was now listening to the conversation, Angelina talking with Katie Bell on her other side.

"Nearly wet himself," said Fred, with a contemptuous glance at Malfoy.

"I wasn't too happy myself," George said. "They're horrible, those Dementors."

"Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?" Said Fred.

Harri gave them a small smile, no longer shovelling the food so aggressively on to her plate.

"I told you Harri, everyone was affected." Hermione said from opposite her.

"Yeah but not everyone passed out, did they?" Harri said in a low voice, her cheeks flushing red in embarrassment. "Just another thing to add to the list of why Harriet Potter's a freak."

"You're not a freak Harri." Hermione told her, as if she was reprimanded her for even saying it.

 _Sure does seem like it,_ Harri thought to herself but didn't think saying it out loud would go down well.

"Forget it Harri," George spoke again. "Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember Fred? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been. He came back all weak and shaking….They suck the happiness out of a place, Dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there."

"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Qudditich match," said Fred. "Gryffindor vs Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?"

At that Harri did give a genuine smile.

"I can't wait to see his smug face when I beat him to the snitch again. Think it'll be the first thing he won't tell his father about." Harri said, causing her companions to chuckle. "How are your timetable's looking?"

"Horrible, we've got double potions on a Friday afternoon." George moaned. Harri gave him a sympathetic look knowing it was the worst possible way for anyone to end the week. "And with us doing O.W.L.s this year, Merlin knows how we'll last all year with that."

"Think we'll have to pull a few sick days George." Fred said, ignoring the disapproving glare from Hermione. "How does yours look?"

"Not too bad," Ron managed to say in between mouthfuls of his breakfast. "Looks like we have Divination first."

"Oh have fun with that one." George gave them a knowing smirk. "She's barmy that Trelawney. An easy pass though if you make some prediction about someone dying or hurting themselves."

Harri gave a gulp, wondering what exactly she had got herself into.

"And if you take one of the desks at the back of the classroom she usually doesn't see you napping. And even if she does, you can claim you were in a deep trance. Works like a charm for us." Fred continued. Harri and Ron laughed, both would most likely use their advice. Hermione was not impressed.

It wasn't like Harri didn't like school, far from it. She found her subjects fascinating generally, and she did work hard for her homework and grades. She was however still a 13-year-old girl and with Ron, the two of them had been known to take a more relaxed approach. Hermione did manage to encourage her but looking at how full her friend's timetable was, Harri had no doubt she was not in the same league as Hermione's enthusiasm for education.

Ron and Harri stared at Hermione's timetable wondering how she could go to all the classes she was scheduled for, but Hermione avoided their questions. Hagrid coming into the Great Hall and chatting to them, interrupting any further prodding. Instead they discussed his first ever lesson, which happened to be that afternoon with them.

Harri just hoped it would go well.

* * *

Time passed quickly at Hogwarts and before Harri knew it, it was Halloween. Divination was now one of her least favourite classes, Professor Trelawney always gave her a sad look expecting it to be the last time she would see Harri in her class. Hagrid's lessons had become boring but it wasn't his fault. After Malfoy's stupidity Buckbeak now faced execution and Hagrid had lost all his confidence in his teaching ability. So instead of interesting creatures, he stuck to boring old Flobberworms.

Defence against the Dark Arts though was finally a decent subject. Professor Lupin was a fantastic teaching allowing practical opportunities alongside learning the theory. Harri always looked forward to his lessons and she also found the spells they learnt came easy to her. It was quickly becoming her strongest and favourite subject.

When she woke up she could already hear the girls in her room getting ready for the day and immediately Harri's face fell. For today wasn't just Halloween, it was also the first Hogsmeade trip. She almost didn't want to get out of bed and see the happy faces of her fellow third years as they got ready to leave. She had promised she would see Hermione and Ron off though, and so reluctantly got out of bed.

"Ohh Harri I can't believe you're just got up." Lavender Brown said from next to her.

"Yeah if you're not quick you won't get any breakfast before Hogsmeade." Parvati said from the other side of the room.

"Didn't you guys hear? I'm not going." Harri didn't look at them, instead she gathered the clothes she would wear for her day moping around the castle.

"I thought I heard Dean say he was going to forge your Uncle's signature." Lavender said.

"I already made the mistaken of asking McGonagall to let me go without it, so she knows it's not signed." Harri gave a shrug, "Besides I think Hermione would have ratted on me if I did." Hermione's head shot to look at her with a look of anger. Harri held her hands up and gave her friend a smile. "I'm only kidding." When Hermione looked back to her bed, Harri mimed _I'm not_ to the other girls causing them to giggle.

Harri threw on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and hoddie not wanting to be in her uniform at the weekend. Thankfully her week in Diagon Alley before term had given her time to buy some clothes that actually fit her. She had been surprised in the Wizarding shopping street to find a shop which sold Muggle clothing. Apparently, it was quite popular, according to its owner, seeing as Wizards needed to be able to blend into a Muggle crowd and it was the only place which sold them that accepted wizard money. Harri had taken the opportunity to buy herself some clothes which weren't hand-me-downs from Dudley.

She and Hermione finished getting ready quicker than the others, and so left them to head down to breakfast. Ron was in the common room waiting for them and the trio walked down to the Great Hall together. Both her friends tried to make her feel better and promised to bring back all the sweets they could fit in their pockets. Harri nodded along and pretended she was okay, but as soon as her friends left, her smile dropped and a foul mood came over her.

If only she had kept her mouth shut when Marge had spoken about her parents. But then again, was Harri truly angry at herself for that?

She thought about it and she realised she was glad she had said something. Yeah she could have been in Hogsmeade right now, but she thought she would be angrier at herself if she had let Marge get away with bad mouthing her parents.

She was making her way to the library, thinking she may as well try and get ahead on some of the reading for her classes that week. Wood's long Quidditch practices had made it difficult to keep up but somehow she was managing and being prepared for classes would probably help. She gave a grimace as she realised she was willingly about to spend her Saturday in the Library.

Maybe she could go visit Hagrid later, she hadn't been for a cup of tea at his for a while.

"Harri?"

She whipped back around to see where the voice had come from and was pleasantly surprised to see Professor Lupin looking around his office door.

"What are you doing here?" He asked with a gentle look in his eyes. "Where are Ron and Hermione?"

"They're in Hogsmeade." Harri said trying to keep the bitterness out her voice.

"Ah," Lupin gave a nod in understanding before a small smile appeared on his lips. "Why don't you come in? I've just taken delivery of Grindylow for our next lesson."

"A what?" Harri asked following him into his office. In the corner stood a very large tank of water. A sickly-green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers.

"It's a water demon," Lupin explained, surveying the Grindylow thoughtfully. "We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the Kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle."

The Grindylow bared its green teeth and then buried itself in a tangle of weed in a corner.

"Cup of tea?" Lupin said, looking around for his kettle. "I was just thinking of making one."

"A cup of tea would actually be nice, thanks." Harri admitted. She could feel her foul mood starting to drift away as she relaxed in the presence of her favourite teacher.

"Sit down," Lupin instructed and Harri followed. He opened the lid of a dusty tin. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid – but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?"

Harri gave a chuckle as she saw the twinkle in his eye.

"I assume Professor McGonagall told you about that." Harri said.

"She may have." Lupin gave a shrug and handed a chipped mug of tea to her. "Are you worried?"

"No. Professor Trelawney looks at me every time I leave as if it'll be the last time she sees me. So far I've always managed to make it to the next class. Unfortunately," Lupin gave her a raised eye brow at her last comment. "I can't say I've found my _inner eye_ yet. Though I'm not sure I ever will."

Lupin chuckled into his mug. "Yes Divination was never one of my strong suits either."

"I don't even think it's Professor Trelawney's." Harri gave a paused wondering if she was in trouble for talking about a teacher that way, Lupin only laughed at the panic in her face. She relaxed realising he had found her comment funny.

The two fell into a comfortable silence, sipping at their tea. Harri thought for a moment about telling Lupin about what she had seen at Magnolia Crescent, wondering if had been the start of the Grim following her round but decided not to. She didn't want Lupin to think her a coward, well more than he already did. After not allowing her to face the Boggart, she worried he already viewed her as weak.

"Anything worrying you Harri?" She realised her face must have portrayed her thoughts as Lupin gave a concerned look.

"No." She instantly lied and drank a bit of her tea. She then gave a sigh realising she should ask him about the Boggart. "Actually there is. The day we fought the Boggart, why didn't you let me fight it?

"I would have thought that obvious," Lupin replied with raised eyebrows. Harri was silent for a moment, stunned he had admitted it.

"No, sorry."

"Well," said Lupin, frowning slightly. He placed his tea on his desk as he continued. "I assumed if the Boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort."

Harri stared. Not only was it the last answer she expected but Lupin had said Voldemort's name. She had only ever heard Professor Dumbledore say it aloud.

"You said his name." Harri stated.

"Fear of a name, only increases fear of the thing itself."

Harri gave a smile, "That's what Dumbledore said."

"And it's from him I learnt that. Learnt many other things from him too, he's a great man." Harri saw the admiration on Lupin's face for the headmaster. "It appears I was wrong though about what your Boggart would be. But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialise in the staff room. I imagined people would panic."

"That make senses." Harri nodded, placing her tea cup on the desk, now empty. "I did think of him at first. Really it should be him I'm most afraid of. But then I-I remembered the Dementors and how they made me feel. I never want to feel like that again."

"I see," said Lupin thoughtfully. "Well, well…I'm impressed." He smiled slightly at the look of surprise on Harri's face. "That suggests that what you fear most of all is- fear. Very wise Harri."

"Think that's the first time anyone has put my name and wise together." Harri said earning a chuckle from her Professor.

"Yes I did hear one or two things about your adventures at your time here at Hogwarts." Lupin smiled. "I'm hoping you're planning a quiet year this year though."

"Professor I've wanted that from first year, I can't help it if trouble finds me." Harri said with a smirk, enjoying her teacher's company.

"So all this year so far you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capable of fighting the Boggart?" said Lupin shrewdly.

"Well…yeah." Harri admitted, her cheeks flushing pink thinking how silly it sounded now. "Professor Lupin those Dementors-"

Harri was cut off by a knock on the door. Snape came striding in with a cup of steaming potion. The potions master had sent her a scathing look when he saw her sat there, a look she returned. After he left, Harri couldn't believe Lupin was so trusting of Snape and drank the potion he had brought in with no questions or fears.

Harri had tried to give him subtle warnings not to trust Snape, though in retrospect telling him Snape liked the dark arts and would do anything for Lupin's job, weren't the subtlest. It was clear though their conversation was over and Harri left Lupin's office.

She decided being in the library would depress her too much so instead made her way to Hagrid's who, unsurprisingly, welcomed her with open arms.


	11. Dealing with Defeat

"Lucky the ground was so soft"

"I thought she was dead for sure"

"But she didn't even break her glasses"

Harri heard the voices though couldn't work out where they were coming from. It was as if she was stuck in sand and her body was reacting slowly to her thoughts. She wanted to open her eyes but her whole body ached. She couldn't remember how she had ended up this way nor work out where she was.

"That was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life."

Scariest…scariest thing…hooded creatures.

Harri's eyes snapped opened as the memory of the Quidditch match came back to her. They had been playing Hufflepuff in the first match of the year. She had seen the snitch and was beating Diggory to it when that cold, icy feeling seeped into her bones and she was surrounded by Dementors. She remembered the unrelenting fear paralysing her while she flew, she couldn't concentrate and then she was falling, listening to the sound of a woman screaming.

She was looking at the ceiling of the hospital wing, she could now recognise the pattern after so many hours spent there over the past two years. She sat up a little bit, her body protesting as she did so. She looked around her bedside and found her Quidditch team surrounding her with very worried looks. Hidden amongst them were Ron and Hermione whose faces showed concern.

The whole group looked drenched in water from the storm that had being present during the match. Harri herself felt like a downed rat the way her wet clothes and hair stuck to her. Like the rest of her team mates, she was splattered in mud and felt in desperate need of a hot shower.

"Harri!" said Fred, who looked extremely white underneath the mud. "How're you feeling?"

"Like I flew into a brick wall," Harri said trying to sit up further, her voice quieter than usual. A picture of the Grim she had seen in the clouds came rushing back to her, and if possible, her face went even paler. "What…what happened?"

"We're not surprised you feel like that. You fell off," George told her with a sad expression. "Must've been – what – fifty feet."

"We thought you were dead." Alicia spoke this time, Harri could see the older girl was shaking.

Hermione made a small squeaky noise and Harri noticed her eyes seemed bloodshot. Ron was looking pale and Harri realised how scared her friends must have been.

"You must have learnt by now, takes a lot more to kill me." Harri tried to give a smirk, some of the team responded but Harri could feel the tension still there. "What happened with the match anyway? I don't see Wood, don't know if that's a good or a bad thing."

By the way her team avoided her eyes, Harri knew it was indeed a bad thing.

"We lost, didn't we?" Harri asked, no one said anything but she could tell the answer from her friends' faces. A deep pit opened in her stomach. It was the first match she had ever lost and she knew it was her fault. She could feel her anger building at herself and a hint of colour return to her cheeks as her face went red in frustration. "It's all my fault."

"Harri no it's-"

"Don't be silly Potter-"

"It's not your-"

Suddenly the room was filled with the voices of her friends as they tried to convince her she had nothing to be sorry for but Harri didn't believe them.

"No one else faints when those Dementor things are around. If I had just kept my focus for another minute, I was so close to the snitch." Harri told them, her fists clenched at her side with frustration.

"Harri there's nothing you could have done." George told her. Though his words were kind and his voice soft, Harri still felt rubbish.

"So how did it happen?" Harri asked bitterly.

"Diggory caught the snitch just after you fell," George explained. "He didn't realise what had happened and when he looked back to see you on the ground he tried to call it off. Wanted a re-match. But they won fair and square…even Wood admits it."

"Where is he?"

"Trying to drown himself in the showers we think." Fred answered.

"Wood's gonna hate me." Harri moaned as she brought her knees up and placed her head into them. Her hands held the sides of her head as she tried to come to terms with what happened.

George grabbed her shoulders and shook it roughly until she looked back up again. "Hey, you've never missed the snitch before Harri. There was going to be a time when it happened."

"It's not over yet," said Fred. "We lost by 100 points, right? So if Hufflepuff lose to Ravenclaw and we beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin…"

"Hufflepuff will have to lose by at least 200 points." Katie Bell pointed out.

Her team began to talk about how they could still win the cup but Harri didn't have the heart to join in. She was still coming to terms with the fact it was the first time she had lost a Quidditch match. Before Hogwarts she didn't think she was good at anything, but flying and Quidditch had been the first time she felt proud of something she could achieve. It wasn't based on something that happened when she was a baby, or on special treatment. No Harriet Potter was good at Quidditch because she had talent all on her own and no one could take that from her.

That was until today, when her own pathetic fear had potentially cost Gryffindor the Quidditch cup.

After ten minutes Madam Pomfrey chased her team out the hospital wing. Fred and George promised they would come see her later with nods from the rest of the team. There was a leaving remark about her still being the best seeker they had ever had. Somehow Harri didn't feel like it though. She bet the other seekers would have stayed on their broom with Dementors or wouldn't have been put off by a giant dog shape in the clouds.

Ron and Hermione were left behind and both gave her sad smiles. They shuffled closer to her bed before telling her how Dumbledore had slowed Harri's fall then fashioned a stretcher which had brought her here. Apparently, the headmaster was furious at the Dementors for entering the school grounds. Harri nodded along, letting the information seep in but she felt too tired to react.

Ron and Hermione noticed her glazed expression and tried to find something matter-of-fact to say.

"Did someone get my Nimbus?" Harri found herself asking in the silence. She realised her broom wasn't in sight and hoped one of the twins had picked it up and taken it back to the common room.

She saw a look pass between Ron and Hermione and the sinking feeling in Harri's stomach multiplied ten-fold.

"What?" she asked, looking between the pair. "Where is it?"

"Well…when you fell off, it got blown away." Hermione said hesitantly.

"And?"

"And it hit- it hit – oh, Harri – it hit the Whomping Willow."

Silence followed. Hermione and Ron tried to read their friend's expression but Harri was sat not moving. Her face blank as she tried to comprehend what they were telling her. They could see the realisation of what they said sink in as Harri's eyes darkened and her shoulders sagged.

"Can it be fixed?" Harri asked but there was no hope in her voice.

"Well, you know the Whomping Willow," said Ron. "It- it doesn't like being hit."

"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before you came round." Hermione's voice was small as she reached into the bag at her feet and tipped a dozen bits of splintered wood and twig on to Harri's bed.

The three sat in silence as Harri helpless picked up parts of her broom. She felt her throat tightened as tears began to prick at the back of her eyes.

"Harri I'm so sorry-" Hermione began but Harri cut her off.

"There's nothing you could have done." Harri voice was rough, her companions could hear her trying to hold back her tears.

Harri bit down hard on her lip as she shook her head. She had learnt during her time in Privet Drive how to hold back tears in front of others. If she had cried there, her Aunt and Uncle would call her pathetic and Dudley would tease her for days. She had become accustom to swallowing her feelings of sadness down and she planned to do the same here.

But then she looked up and saw the faces her best friends, both with sympathetic eyes and a worry for her. It was those looks that broke her and Harri felt herself open the flood gates.

She began to cry into her hands. The aftershock of the Dementors' attack combined with losing her first Quidditch match and the destruction of her broom became too much. She felt Ron and Hermione rush from their seats to seat either side of her. Hermione placed an arm around her shoulders and she could feel Ron put a comforting hand on her back.

After several minutes, her tears began to slow and Harri's sniffling filled the air.

"I'm sorry." She whispered to her companions once she had calmed down enough. "I know it was just a broom but-"

"It was more than that." Hermione gave her a small smile.

"Yeah Harri, you don't have to say sorry." Ron told her with a smile of his own.

"Thank you." Harri said with a small smile of her own.

The trio sat there in silence for a few more moments, huddled as a group before Madam Pomfrey said Harri needed rest and told Ron and Hermione to leave. The pair promised they would be back tomorrow before leaving for Gryffindor tower.

* * *

"What do you reckon Snape would look like blonde?" One of the twins asked.

It was Sunday afternoon and Harri was still in the hospital wing on Madam Pomfrey's insistence. She didn't mind though; in fact, she was happy to stay. She didn't really want to go back to Gryffindor tower at the moment or have the rest of school see her and laugh. Her body was still sore from the fall and emotionally she was still fatigued. Her worry over seeing the Grim and the Dementor attacks had been eating away at her since she woke up, not to mention her despair at losing her broom.

Moreover, Harri had come to the horrible realisation the screams she had being hearing during the attacks had been her mothers and Harri guessed they were her's just before she died. That terrible bit of information had done nothing but distress her further.

Ron and Hermione had done as they promised and came back as soon as they could and the rest of her Quidditch team had visited too that morning. Wood said it wasn't her fault they had lost but Harri could tell her captain was devastated at the result.

Harri had told Ron and Hermione to go get some lunch, they had been hesitant to leave her but then Fred and George had turned back up and said they could keep her company until her friends returned. The pair were sat either side of her bed while she was sat up by the headboard.

The twins had commented they had yet to see her smile since she had come around and were now determined to get her to. Hence the statement about Snape going blonde.

"Or ginger?" The other responded.

"Could you imagine? He might look like Great Aunt Muriel."

"That's insulting to Snape."

"You're right, though maybe just washing his hair would be a good prank."

"Maybe he actually is blonde but it's so greasy it looks black."

"Slimy git."

A small laugh erupted from Harri's mouth. The twins looked at her as triumphant grins spread over their faces.

"We did it!"

"We made Potter laugh!"

"We can die happy." Fred, Harri thought, swooned in his chair as he placed a hand on his forehead.

"Well done you two." Harri didn't bother fighting the smile on her lips. For the first time since she had woken up, her mind wasn't filled with sadness and despair. The twins had a way of making her smile like that. "You really should start charging for that."

"Maybe we should, hey George?"

"I'm willing if you are Fred."

"That will be ten galleons." Fred held out his hand to Harri.

"We will also accept you stop blaming yourself for us losing the match." George offered. Harri looked between the two. Behind all their joking she could see the pair did care for her.

"Okay, you win. No more saying it's my fault." Harri held up her hands.

"Fred it's the second miracle of the day." George looked shocked, Harri couldn't help but laugh now they had broken through.

"We should get an Order of Merlin first class for such feats." Fred declared.

"I'll be sure to nominate you both when I get out of here." Harri told them.

Fred seemed to notice the time then and quickly jumped up. "Sorry dear Harri I'm afraid my services are needed elsewhere. Angelina promised to go over the transfiguration home work with me."

"Yeah, I'm sure she did." George said with a snigger, causing Fred to reach over punch him in the shoulder.

"If you'll excuse me Harri."

"You're excused." Harri said with a smirk. Fred gave a deep bow before leaving her and George. "Aren't you going to go with him?"

"Nah I think Fred would rather be alone with Ange than me tagging along." George wiggled his eyebrows at Harri with a smirk. He then reached over and began to help himself to a pack of Bertie Botts Every Flavour beans that had been sent to Harri.

"Wait…are those two-"

"Nah, but Fred wants to." George cut her off, throwing a bean in the air and catching it in his mouth. "Ew, sprouts."

"How long has that been going on for?" Harri found herself curious. She had noticed the way Fred always wanted to talk to the chaser and the way he would always look at her during practice. She didn't realise what it had meant but now George pointed it out it made sense.

"You ask Fred, he says only this year. You ask me and I'll say he's always had a soft spot for her." George gave a shrug before offering the box to Harri. "Bean?"

Harri nodded and George plucked one out the box and threw it at her. For supposedly sporting people, both had poor aim. It hit Harri in the eye causing both to laugh.

"Don't tell anyone though, especially Ron. I imagine he'll just go blurting it out to the whole of Gryffindor." George carried on, throwing another bean up and missing his mouth.

"Tell people what?" Harri said, her smiling coming naturally again. George threw her another bean and this time it did land in her mouth. They both cheered causing Madam Promfrey to stick her head out her office and give them disapproving glares. The pair sniggered as they quietened down.

"What was it?"

"Strawberries and cream."

"Lucky." Again, he threw one up in the air and caught it in his mouth. He gave a proud smirk, "Buttered popcorn."

"It's a shame they don't do anything." Harri commented as George threw another one at her and missed her face.

"What do you mean?"

"Sweets would be such a good way to prank someone," she elaborated. "People are usually unsuspecting when eating sweets. I know you get those ones that make steam come out your ears but that only lasts a few seconds. Imagine it lasting longer than that. Plus, everyone knows that sweet so it's not a surprise."

"That's actually a good idea," George admitted. "Hey what did I say about encroaching on Fred and I's turf?"

"Not my fault you're slacking."

He launched a bean at her, with no intention of getting it into her mouth.

"Hey it was just an idea. Feel free to run with it," Harri said with a laugh.

The pair continued to chat about nonsense and prank ideas, the conversation flowing naturally. At one point the bean package swapped hands and Harri had ended up throwing several beans at George. Both had as bad an aim as each other and the next time Madam Pomfrey came out her office she was not impressed to see the many beans littering the floor and Harri's bed.

She shooed the one half of the Weasley twins out the door telling him to make a mess back in the Gryffindor common room. Harri laughed though and gave George a wave as he left. Ron and Hermione returned shortly after. If they noticed her improvement in mood they didn't comment and instead welcomed Harri smiling again.


	12. The Marauders

"Cheer up Harri, it's nearly Christmas." Hermione told her friend sat opposite her at the Gryffindor table. The bushy haired witch was spreading butter on her toast while Harri was sulkily prodding at her porridge.

"I just wish I was going to Hogsmeade with you guys today." Harri said with bitterness in her voice.

"We know Harri, and it sucks you can't. Why don't you use your cloak to sneak out and join us?" Ron suggested, his mouth full of bacon. Harri and Hermione over the years had learnt how to interpret Ron when his mouth was full of food.

"As we have already discussed Ron, it would be dangerous of Harri to go walking around Hogsmeade with Sirius Black still out there," Hermione reminded the boy with a stern tone. "And secondly the Dementors at the gate would still be able to sense Harri even if she's invisible, so she couldn't get past them."

"Gee, thanks for your support Hermione," Harri muttered sarcastically. She gave a large sigh before putting her spoon down and pushing her porridge away. She decided she wasn't in the mood for breakfast. "Maybe I could go see Hagrid."

"You probably should order a new broom, pretty sure Wood will start harassing us next to get you to buy one." Ron pointed out. Harri gave a nod but she wasn't in the mood to look for a new broom. She knew she would have to soon though as the school brooms she had been using for practice were no good for an actual match. Her heart wasn't in the right place though, and whenever she looked in the Quidditch magazines, she didn't have the desire to buy any. "Do you want anything from Honeydukes? Or Zonkos? They have some really cool things in there."

"I've already given Hermione money for some chocolate frogs," Harri said. She looked around and could see people starting to make their way out the entrance hall. "You guys should probably get going."

"You'll be able to join us before you know it," Hermione tried to tell her but from the blank nod Harri gave her, she could tell her friend didn't believe it.

Ron and Hermione gave her one last sympathetic look before they got up from the table and left with all the other third years and above. Once again Harri seemed to be the only third year in the school who wasn't on their way to Hogsmeade. She could feel curious gazes on her and she didn't feel like being stared at, so she gave another sigh before leaving her mostly full bowl of porridge and heading back to the Gryffindor common room.

Harri knew she shouldn't be so grumpy with her friends, it wasn't their fault she was stuck there. She also was beyond grateful for to them, as both were staying over the Christmas holidays instead of going home so Harri had company. She knew they were the best friends she had always longed for, but she couldn't stop herself feel jealous over the fact they could go to Hogsmeade while she was stuck at school.

The castle was quiet as she walked along the third-floor corridor heading back to the common room, when the sound of someone calling her name caught her attention.

"Psst-Harri!"

She looked around and found Fred and George Weasley were peering out at her from behind a statue of a humpbacked, one-eyed witch.

"What are you two doing?" Harri asked curiously. "Thought you would be in Hogsmeade by now."

"We've come to give you a bit of festive cheer before we go," said Fred, with a mysterious wink. "Come in here."

Harri followed the pair into an empty classroom. George closed the door quietly behind her before turning around and beaming at Harri.

"Early Christmas present for you Harri," he said.

Harri gave them a puzzled look which only increased their grinning. From under his cloak, Fred produced a large, square and very worn piece of parchment. With a flourish, he placed it on the desk next to them. Harri's look grew even more puzzled as she picked up the piece of paper and found it to be completely blank.

"Thanks very much but I have plenty of parchment in my room," she said, her confusion clear in her voice.

"Ah but you haven't got anything like this in your room," Fred said with a grin.

"And believe us when we say it will be the best present you receive this year," George continued.

"Is this some kind of prank? Because I'm not getting the joke." Harri told them with a raised eyebrow.

"It is no prank," said Fred.

"This dear Harri, is the secret to our success," said George, patting the parchment fondly.

"It's a wretch giving it to you," said Fred, "but we decided last night, your need's greater than ours."

"Anyway, we know it off by heart. We bequeath it to you. We don't really need it anymore."

"That's very kind of you." Harri was still clueless as to what was going on. "But I'm not entirely sure what use I'll have for an old bit of parchment."

'An old bit of parchment!" Fred cried, closing his eyes with a grimace as though Harri had mortally offended him. "Explain George."

"Well…when we were in our first year – young, carefree and innocent-"

"Yeah I'm sure that was the case." Harri crossed her arms over her chest with an amused smirk.

"Well more innocent than we are now," George continued, sharing a smirk with her. "We got into a spot of bother with Filch."

"We let off a Dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him for some reason-," Fred said.

"So he hauled us off to his office and started threatening us with the usual-"

"-detention-"

"-disembowelment-"

"- and we couldn't help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked _Confiscated and Highly Dangerous."_

"And you being so young, carefree and innocent decided to help yourself to the contents." Harri summarised, a grin now plastered on her face.

"Well, what would you've done?" Fred asked. "George caused a diversion by dropping another Dungbomb, I whipped the draw open and grabbed – _this"_

"It's not as bad as it sounds, you know" his twin continued. "We don't reckon Filch ever found out how to work it. He probably suspected what it was, though, or he wouldn't have confiscated it."

"Great, that still doesn't explain how this parchment paper has been your secret weapon for the past five years," Harri pointed out.

"Patience dear Harri."

"All good things come to those that wait. This little beauty has taught us more than all the teachers in this school." The twins smiled at her.

"This piece of parchment?" Harri waved her hand over the discoloured square. "Again if this is a prank I'm still yet to see the funny side."

"Oh you will," George wiggled his eye brows at her before pulling out his wand and tapping the parchment with it. " _I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."_

The twins laughed at the look of surprise on Harri's face as she watched the writing appear on the parchment. Where previously there was nothing, there was now outlines of rooms and little dots walking across the floor.

_**Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs** _

_**Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers** _

_**Are proud to present** _

**THE MARAUDER'S MAP**

Harri quickly realised she now had a map of Hogwarts school. She was astounded as she picked up the parchment and began to study the moving dots, her mouth hanging open when she saw names were attached to them. She could see Dumbledore pacing in his office and Filch walking along the second floor corridor. Along the familiar corridors was something else more interesting: secret passages that seemed to lead to Hogsmeade!

"Wait these passages-" She began to say, her eyes roaming over one. Fred's finger came down on the bit she was looking at and trailed it along to point out it was indeed leading to where she thought it was.

"Yep, all lead right into Hogsmeade," He said with a proud smirk. "There are seven in all. Now, Filch knows about these four –" he pointed them out, "- but we're sure we're the only ones who know about _these_. Don't bother with the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor. We used it until last winter, but it's caved in – completely blocked. And we don't reckon anyone's ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow's planted right over the entrance. But this one here, this one leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes. We've used it loads of times. And as you might've noticed, the entrance is right outside this room, through that one-eyed old crone's hump."

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs," sighed George, patting the heading of the map. "We owe them so much."

"Nobel men, working tirelessly to help a new generation of law-breakers," said Fred solemnly.

"Right," said George briskly, "don't forget to wipe it after you've used it –"

"-or anyone can read it," Fred said warningly.

"Just tap it again and say, 'Mischief Managed!' And it'll go blank."

"So young Harriet," said Fred in an uncanny impersonation of Percy. "Mind you behave yourself."

"See you in Honeydukes." George gave her a wink before they made a move to the door.

"Wait," Harri called after them causing both to pause and look at her. "I can't thank you enough, this is—I mean it's—thank you. You're right it's the best thing I'll get this Christmas. I haven't got you guys anything though."

"That's okay-"

"We don't want anything off you."

"Why?" Harri blurted out, she couldn't help herself. She knew she was friends with them both but for them to give her their prized possession was baffling to her.

"You're our friend Harri," said Fred with a shrug as if it was obvious.

"We've learnt what we can from it, and if anyone deserves to know its secrets, it's you." George said.

"Besides we're sick of hearing you moan about not going to Hogsmeade," Fred said but the smile on his face let Harri know he was teasing.

"Yeah now you'll have to go back to moaning about Snape or Malfoy, at least you were funny when you did that," George chimed in.

"With the Hogsmeade stuff you were just depressing." Harri found herself laughing at what they were saying, knowing it was true.

"Okay no more self-pity." Harri nodded, conceding. "Thank you."

"For what?" said Fred.

"Anyone catches you with that, you didn't get it from us," said George.

"Get what?" Harri asked, a not so innocent look on her face.

The trio shared a grin before the twins left the room. Harri was quick to copy. After following the instructions on the map, she soon found herself in the passage to Hogsmeade.

* * *

Harri lay in bed digesting all the information she had learnt yesterday. Hogsmeade had been going so well, they had gone to the Three Broomsticks to get some butterbeer when the teachers and Fudge had arrived. Harri thought the worst thing would be getting caught outside Hogwarts. She could never imagine she would learn the truth about Sirius Black.

The escaped criminal and fanatic follower of Voldemort was the reason the dark wizard had found her parents. They had trusted Black and he betrayed them and now he had escaped and was looking to kill her. That wasn't the worst part though, no that was the news that Sirius Black was not only her father's best friend, but her Godfather.

She didn't know how she made it back to Hogwarts afterwards or how she had managed to keep her cool throughout dinner. Hermione and Ron has sent her worried looks but she ignored them. When they returned to the common room, she had walked straight to her bed, not wanting to interact in the party celebrating the end of term. She couldn't face the twins asking how her trip went because she knew if she did, she would have broken down and revealed everything.

Last night Hermione had tried to talk to her but Harri had ignored her and pretended to be asleep. She couldn't sleep though and instead spent the whole night tossing and turning trying to wrap her head around what she had learnt. She listened to her fellow Gryffindors pack their cases and leave in the morning but couldn't find the motivation to open the curtains around her bed and say goodbye. Hermione tried once again to talk to her but Harri brushed her off.

She was now sat alone in the 3rd year girls' bedroom looking at the wedding photo of her mum and dad. Hagrid had been so kind in her first year to give her photos of her parents and usually looking through the album brought her happiness. Today though it brought unbridled anger, for in the photo next to her father was Sirius Black. He was smiling, and happy with her parents. Those odd feelings of recognition when looking at Black's Azkaban photos finally made sense, she had been looking at him for the past two years and never realised.

It was so unfair this man had gotten to spend time with them all while betraying them, while all Harri had was the memory of her mother's screaming in the moments before she was killed.

The sound of someone tumbling down the stairs caught her attention. Harri quickly left the room and came down to see Ron sprawled at the bottom of the spiral staircase. Hermione was sat in the corner with her homework spread out over three tables. The rest of the common room was deserted.

"Ron, what are you doing?" Harri asked as she went over to help him up. "You know the stairs disappear if you try to came up them."

"I thought if I jump two at a time I could reach your room before they did." Ron told her. The pair walked over to sit on the couch by Hermione who paused her work to look at her two best friends.

"You look terrible Harri," Hermione told her.

"Gee thanks," Harri said she then looked back at Ron. "Why were you trying to come up anyway?"

"I was worried about you," Ron shrugged. "It's nearly 11 o'clock and haven't been down. And after what we heard yesterday…" Ron trailed off leaving Harri to fill in the blanks.

"Hermione could have come up," Harri pointed out.

"And you would have ignored me again," Hermione countered, her eyes then turned sad as she looked closely over Harri's features. "You really don't look well you know."

"I'm fine," said Harri.

"Harri listen," said Hermione, exchanging a look with Ron, "you must be really upset about what we heard yesterday. But the thing is, you mustn't go doing anything stupid."

"Like what?"

"Like trying to go after Black," said Ron sharply.

Harri's jaw clenched as she realised the pair had rehearsed this conversation while she had been asleep. She kept quiet, staring in to the fire.

"You won't, will you Harri?" Hermione asked.

"Because Black's not worth dying for," said Ron.

"I want to show you both something." Harri finally spoke. She got up from the couch ignoring the shared glance between Ron and Hermione, and quickly went up to her room. When she returned, she had brought down the picture she had been looking at earlier and passed it to the pair, saying nothing.

"Is this-" Hermione gave a gasp as she saw it. "Harri I'm-"

"What? What is it?" Ron asked, clearly not having recognised Black in the photo due to how healthy he looked compared to his more recent Azkaban photos.

"Ron, look." Hermione pointed to the young Sirius Black. Harri watched the red-head's eyes harden with recognition, his ear tinging pink in anger.

"You know when Hagrid gave me that album in first year I looked over those photos every night in Privet drive." Harri told them, the pair stayed silent as she spoke. "I would make up stories about them, why they were taken. I liked this one because I didn't have to pretend or imagine, I knew it was their wedding day. I would look at Dad's best man and wonder where he was. They looked happy and I use to think he was the uncle I always wanted, not some purple faced walrus who couldn't stand the sight of me."

"I convinced myself, he had died in the war with Voldemort. Or if he hadn't it was the Durlseys that kept him away from me," Harri could feel her eyes burn as the threat of tears built but she didn't give in. "And if that was the case when I was old enough I was going to find him and ask him about my parents." She gave a bitter laugh, "I guess I now know why he never came to visit."

"Harri-" She could hear the emotion in Hermione's voice but Harri continued.

"Do you guys know what I hear when the Dementors attack?" The pair shook they head, Harri could feel the apprehension roll off them. "I hear a woman screaming. Each time it lasts longer, and I realised after the Quidditch match it's my mother. I'm remembering the moments just before her death." Harri heard Hermione gasp and place a hand on her arm. Harri refused to look at them though instead focusing on the fire. The sadness she felt began to give way to anger. "So tell me, what you would do if you found out someone had betrayed them? Was the reason Voldemort found them and killed them? Someone they trusted and loved-"

"There's nothing you can do!" said Hermione, looking stricken. "The Dementors will catch Black and he'll go back to Azkaban and – and serve him right!"

"You heard what Fudge said?" Harri wretched her arm from Hermione's grasp and stood up to face the pair. "Even if they do find him, it doesn't matter. The Dementors don't affect him, what kind of punishment is that?"

"So what are you saying?" Ron asked, looking very tense. "You want to – to kill Black or something?"

"Don't be silly," said Hermione in a panicky voice. "Harri doesn't want to kill anyone, do you Harri?"

Harri looked to the floor, unable to answer. Her hands clenched into fists at her side as she tried to think of what she did want. She knew she wanted Black to suffer, like her parents but did she really want to kill him?

 _I would want revenge if it was me,_ Malfoy's taunt came back to her as she realised the posh prick had known the true connection between Harri and Black.

"That bastard," Harri hissed, Hermione gave another gasp. "Malfoy knew, he knew! Remember in potions, what he said about hunting him down?"

"That's Malfoy, are you really going to listen to him instead of us?" Asked Ron furiously. "Listen…you know what Pettigrew's mother got back after Black had finished with him? Dad told me – the Order of Merlin first class and Pettigrew's finger in a box. That was the biggest bit of him they could find. Black's a madman Harri, and he's dangerous-"

"I'm not listening to Malfoy," Harri shot back. "I'm just saying even that slimy git knew before me. Why did no one ever tell me? I had a right to know."

"You're right, you did." Hermione said trying to calm her down. "But that doesn't mean you should go out and –"

"And what?" Harri snapped.

"Go looking for Black." Hermione finished. Harri gave a scoff but it didn't stop her friend. "Black did a terrible, terrible thing, but d-don't put yourself in danger, it's what Black wants…oh, Harri, you're playing right into Black's hands if you went looking for him. Your mum and dad wouldn't want you to get hurt, would they? They'd never want you to go looking for Black!"

"How would you know?" Harri said angrily. "How would any of us know? I never got chance to find out what they would want thanks to Black. The only memory I've got is my mum pleading for her life against Voldemort."

"Please say _you-know-who,"_ Ron said but Harri ignored him.

"It's alright for you two," Harri was blinded by range not noticing the hurt look on her friends' faces as she continued. "When you go home in the summer you go back to loving parents, in a house you're welcomed in. I go back to being called 'girl', and having to hide who I am. If it hadn't been for Black, my parents would still be here. He deserves to suffer as much as possible, and if the Dementors can't do that, then what will?"

There was silence, Ron's pocket quivered while Crookshanks stretched luxuriously, flexing his claws. Harri looked at her friends’ faces and realised how much her words had hurt them. Her anger seemed to evaporate suddenly and her shoulders sagged as the tension left them.

"I'm sorry, that was uncalled for." Harri said quietly. "You guys are the best friends I could ever hope for; I mean you're spending Christmas here rather than with your families so I'm not alone. It's not your fault about the Dursleys or my parents."

"It's okay Harri." Hermione's voice was soft as she stood up and gave Harri a hug. She pulled back to look at her friend. "Ron and I can't possibly imagine what it must be like for you, not knowing your parents. But please don't do something stupid in your anger and go after Black."

"Why did he get to know them?" Harri asked, bitterness in her voice. "Why does he get the memories of them while all I'm stuck with is a scream?"

"It sucks Harri, more than potions with Snape." Ron said as he stood up to join his friends, he placed an arm around Harri's shoulder. There was apprehension in his voice as he tried to lighten the mood with his joke, his body relaxing when he heard Harri give out a small laugh. With it the tension in the room seemed to evaporate.

"You guys really are the best." Harri said smiling at the pair. "I'm sorry for getting angry with you both."

"Hey it's a nice change, from it being a stressed-out Hermione snapping at me," Ron continued to joke causing another small laugh from Harri and a glare from Hermione.

"You promise you won't go looking for Black?" Hermione asked.

"I won't go looking for him Hermione. But I can't make promises about what I'll do if he finds me." Harri answered honestly. Hermione gave a sigh but nodded her head, knowing that was the best she was going to get.

"Right enough of the dramatics, shall we go see Hagrid?" Ron asked, lifting his arm off Harri and heading to the portrait hole. He saw Hermione open her mouth but cut her off. "Hermione if you say we can't leave the castle, then we'll just ignore you. You don't want us to do that, do you?"

Hermione shut her mouth but gave a little humph.

"Come on Hermione, we should probably go see how the trial went with Buckbeak." Harri said, following Ron to the hole. "Besides how is Black going to find me if I'm not wandering the grounds?" Her companions stopped dead in their tracks and gave her looks of horror. "Too soon?"

"Yeah too soon." Ron nodded, relaxing once he realised Harri was joking.

"That wasn't funny Harriet." Hermione told her before climbing through the portrait hole.

"The twins would have thought it was." Harri muttered to herself as she followed Hermione through the hole and down to Hagrid's.


	13. A Happy Thought

"Maybe Hermione's right." Harri said as she and Ron gazed over her brand new Firebolt in the Gryffindor common room.

When she had woken that morning to look at her Christmas presents, it was the last thing she expected to see at the bottom of her bed. At first she had been elated someone had gotten her such a magnificent broom and her and Ron had a competition to see who could drool over the broomstick the most. That was until Hermione made the valid points about how Sirius Black could have sent it to her. Hermione didn't want to say it at first, but Harri had pushed when her friend wasn't as overjoyed about the broomstick as she and Ron were. Initially she had blown Hermione's suspicions off easily, like Ron had, but as the day drew on Harri couldn't help but have a nagging feeling her best friend could be right.

"Oh come off it Harri, why would Sirius Black send you this? I mean where would he even get the money from to start with?" Ron asked, annoyed she was letting Hermione get in her head. Harri had to concede he made a good point.

"Okay that's a point, but what if it is jinxed? I don't exactly fancy reliving my first Quidditch match again." Harri gave a small shudder as the memories of Quirrell jinxing her broomstick came back, remembering the feeling of terror as she hung on to her broom for dear life.

"Okay even if we were to assume Black had the money to afford something of this quality, how would he jinx it without a wand? Pretty sure your wand gets snapped when you get sent to Azkaban." Ron raised his eyebrows at her with a pointed look.

"You're probably right," Harri sighed. "But maybe I should get one of the professors to look over it."

"And risk them ruining it?" Ron asked astounded. "Harri this is the best broom in the world, Merlin knows what would happen if we let the professors mess around with it before giving it back to you." Harri looked to the floor, avoiding her friend's eyes. "Fine if you're not going to ride it, I will."

Ron made to grab the broom to take it outside but Harri quickly batted his hands away and grabbed the broom herself.

"Shove off, if anyone's riding this it's going to be me." Harri told her friend, Ron simply smirked at her.

"You got over your fear of it being jinxed quickly," Ron said with a smug smile.

"Oh shut it," Harri gave him a playful shove. She looked outside to see the sky was black. "It's too late to fly it now, but tomorrow first thing how about we take it down to the Quidditch pitch to test it out?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Ron said.

The pair were laughing when the portrait hole opened and Hermione came scurrying in, followed shortly by McGonagall. Hermione immediately settled into the armchair in the corner, burying her face in a book.

"So that's it, is it?" said Professor McGonagall beadily, walking over to the fireside and staring at the Firebolt in Harri's hands. "Miss Granger has just informed me that you have been sent a broomstick, Potter."

Harri and Ron turned to look at Hermione, the top of her face seen over the book was turning a dark red. Harri couldn't believe her ears, hearing Hermione had gone behind their backs and ratted them out to McGonagall. Though she had made jokes about it in the past, she never thought her best friend would do it, and it stung.

"May I?" The transfiguration teacher asked, but she didn't wait for an answer before pulling the Firebolt out of Harri's hands. She examined it carefully from handle to twig-ends. "Hmm. And there was no note at all, Potter? No card? No message of any kind?"

"No there wasn't but-" Harri tried to start but she was cut off straight away by the head of her house.

"I see…" said McGonagall. "Well, I'm afraid I will have to take this Potter."

"W-what?" Ron spluttered out, though Harri kept quiet. "Why?"

"It will need to be checked for jinxes. Of course I'm no expert but I daresay Madam Hooch and Professor Flitwick will strip it down-"

"Strip it down?" Ron repeated as though their Professor had gone mad. Harri merely winced at the thought of them tearing her lovely new broom apart but continued to keep her mouth shut.

"It shouldn't take more than a few weeks," said McGonagall. "You will have it back if we are sure it is jinx-free."

At that Harri did find herself speaking.

"But Professor I'll need it for Quidditch. We have the match against Ravenclaw coming up and we need to win. I need that broom." Harri tried to plead but she could see it was no use.

"What you need Potter is not to fall out of the sky again," McGonagall gave her a stern look. "You can't fly this until we know for certain it has not been tampered with. Until then you shall just have to make do with the school brooms."

"But the school brooms are rubbish…..Professor," Harri said, quickly tagging on Professor once she saw the even sterner look in McGonagall's eye, something Harri did not think possible.

"I'm afraid my hands are tied Potter," McGonagall said after a moment, a sigh escaping her lips as her face turned somewhat more sympathetic. "I'll keep you informed."

And with that the head of house left the common room with the Firebolt in her hands. Harri's shoulders sagged in disappointment. Ron on the other hand rounded on Hermione whose face was finally out from the pages of her book.

" _What did you go running to McGonagall for?"_ Ron hissed at her.

Hermione threw her book to the side. She was still pink in the face, but stood up and faced Ron defiantly.

"Because I thought – and Professor McGonagall agrees with me – that that broom was probably sent to Harri by Sirius Black!"

"I thought we discussed earlier how stupid that sounded," Ron continued, his ears going pink.

"No you decided it sounded stupid because you were so blinded about that broom's reputation," Hermione countered. "I wasn't going to let that ignorance lead to Harri getting hurt."

"I can't believe you went and snitched to McGonagall." Ron's outrage was growing and Harri listened to her two friends going at it, the anger rising in their voices. Harri was looking in the fireplace, trying to calm her own sense of betrayal.

"Well if I didn't who would? You two weren't going to tell her," Hermione told them, exasperated at the pair for getting so worked up over a broomstick.

"You don't know that," Harri said quietly but the other two heard her. She turned around and looked at Hermione with a clear sense of hurt at her friend for going behind her back. "Come on Ron, why don't we go play some chess in your room."

Without looking at Hermione, Harri walked up to the boy's dormitory. She heard Ron follow and the pair left their other friend in the common room.

Harri had nodded along as Ron ranted about the bushy haired girl, calling her treachery everything under the sun. Harri herself was upset and angry at Hermione but not for the same reason as Ron. In fact, she understood where Hermione was coming from and was planning to go to McGonagall herself that evening to tell her about the Firebolt, hoping it would only take the evening to say the broom was fine before heading out to fly it tomorrow with Ron.

No, what had upset her so much was the fact Hermione had gone behind her back, betrayed her trust and gone to McGonagall without telling her. She had assumed Harri wouldn't do the right thing and had snitched on the pair. After everything the trio had been through, it hurt Harri that her friend didn't trust her.

* * *

Weeks past and the trio were still at odds. Ron couldn't forgive Hermione for telling McGonagall and Harri couldn't forgive her for betraying her trust. Hermione on the other hand didn't realise why Harri was so upset and assumed it was for the same reasons as Ron. She instead insisted she had been right to do what she had done, and wasn't backing down. And so, they had been avoiding each other where possible, Hermione seeking refuge in the library, while Harri stayed with Ron in the common room.

At night when Harri went to the third-year girls room, Hermione was either already asleep or not yet returned from the library meaning Harri didn't have any awkward encounters yet with her friend.

The time apart wasn't making Harri happy, if anything it was making her more miserable. Her heart gave a sad pang whenever she saw Hermione in class or at meal times, her instinct going to automatically sit with her. But then she would remember the feeling of betrayal she had felt when Hermione had brought McGonagall to the common room Christmas evening, and it stopped her approaching her friend.

And so, the rift continued to grow as neither side was willing to back down.

Wood had not been happy when Harri explained she did have a broom, a Firebolt no less, but wasn't being allowed to ride it. Wood said he would talk to McGonagall about getting her broom back, but Harri doubted the final year would have much luck. He also reminded Harri about her unfortunate run in with the Dementors in their last match. Harri had told him she was already on it, and reminded Professor Lupin the same day about his promise to teach her how to battle the creatures.

It's why Harri now found herself in the empty History of Magic classroom with Lupin, with her Defence against the Dark Arts Professor explaining he had found a Boggart in Filch's office and would be how they would practice the spell. Harri wouldn't admit it, but she was grateful they had found a substitute for a real Dementor and she wouldn't have to face a real one.

Lupin explained what a patronus was and how it could be used against a Dementor. Her Professor also gave her several warnings about how advanced the spell was, and likely she wouldn't be able to perform such magic straight away, if at all.

"What does a patronus look like?" Harri asked curiously.

"Each one is unique to the wizard who conjures it," Lupin answered.

"So how do you conjure it?"

"With an incantation, which will work only if you are concentrating, with all your might, on a single, very happy memory."

Harri's face scrunched up for a moment as she thought about what happy memory she could use. She knew it had to be something since she came to Hogwarts, no way would anything associated with the Dursleys be happy. She decided to pick the first time she flew on a broomstick.

"Okay I think I have one," she said timidly, trying with all her might to remember that wonderful, soaring feeling in her stomach.

"The incantation is this-" Lupin cleared his throat, " _expect patronum!"_

Harri repeated the spell under her breath in preparation, focusing on her memory. She managed a wisp of silvery gas out of her wand. She proudly looked to Lupin who returned her smile. Her next challenge was to maintain that memory while dealing with a Dementor.

Lupin released the Boggart.

Harri tried as best she could but despite saying the incantation, her spell did not work. No silvery wisp came out the wand, and that cold dark feeling of fear began to seep in to her bones. The sound of her mother screaming, pleading for Harri's life, was all she could hear. The raspy voice of Voldemort as he demanded her mother step to the side entered her thoughts, the world going black.

Harri jerked back to life, she was lying flat on her back on the floor. She didn't have to ask what happened. Lupin gave her a chocolate frog before she tried again, reassuring her he had not expected her to get it the first time.

"It's getting worse," Harri muttered, biting the Frog's head off. "I could hear her louder this time – and him – Voldemort-"

Lupin looked paler than usual.

"Harri if you want to stop I will more than understand-"

"No, I want to keep going." Harri said with a determined look, stuffing the rest of the chocolate frog into her mouth. "We have the match against Ravenclaw coming up and I can't risk the Dementors coming back and throwing me off my game. If we lose, we lose the Quidditch cup. I'm also sick of being the only one so affected by them."

"All right then…" said Lupin. "You might want to select another memory, a happy memory, I mean to concentrate on…that one doesn't seem to be strong enough."

Again, Harri racked her brain as to what memory to choose. She decided on her first year at Christmas, the feeling of Mrs Weasley sending her a jumper and finally feeling like she belonged.

When the Dementor/Boggart was released, it seemed to be working at first, Harri managed some sliver wisps out her wand. However, she was struggling to keep her concentration, her mother's screams beginning to fill her ears. The white fog began to descend over her as the screams continued, the new voice of her father telling her mother to run entered her mind.

"Harri! Harri…wake up…"

Lupin was tapping Harri hard on the face. This time it was a minute before Harri understood why she was lying on a dusty classroom floor.

"I heard my dad," Harri whispered, but by the way Lupin stiffened, she knew he had heard her. "That's the first time I've ever heard him – he tried to take on Voldemort himself, to give mum time to run for it…"

Harri suddenly realised there were tears on her face mingling with the sweat. She quickly bent her face low, trying to hide the tears from her Professor, as she wiped them away.

"You heard James?" said Lupin in a strange voice.

"Yeah," she looked up and saw a soft look on his face. "Did you know him?"

"I-I did, as a matter of fact," said Lupin. "We were friends at Hogwarts. Listen Harri – perhaps we should leave it here for tonight. This charm is ridiculously advanced…I shouldn't have suggested putting you through this…"

"No!" said Harri, getting up and taking her position in front of the case holding the Boggart. "It's my fault, I need to think of something happier. Just let me have one more go."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes just give me a moment to think." Harri racked her brain to as what made her happier than her first Christmas at Hogwarts. It took a moment but then it came to her, the moment Hagrid had arrived at that awful shack the Dursleys were staying the night in. It was her 11th birthday and she had been sleeping on the floor when the friendly giant had knocked the door down and told her she didn't belong with the Dursleys. No, she was a witch and he was there to take her to Hogwarts.

Harri's position changed, filled with determination, she held her wand up ready.

"I can do this." Harri said firmly. Lupin gave her one last concerned look before opening the case. The Dementor rose out of it, the room felt cold and dark-

" _EXPECTO PATRONUM!"_ Harri bellowed. " _EXPECTO PATRONUM! EXPECTO PATRONUM!"_

The screaming in her head started again, but this time it sounded like it was coming from a badly tuned radio, far away and in the distance. A huge, silver shadow shot out from her wand, halting the Dementor's progression forward. Harri could feel her legs turn to jelly as her exhaustion began to take its toll, but she continued to focus on her happy memory, keeping the barrier up between her and the fake Dementor.

Just before she would pass out from exhaustion, Lupin stepped in. The Boggart changed in to the silvery orb Harri had seen it do before with Lupin, before he banished it into the case with the _riddikulus_ enchantment.

Harri sank in to the chair, bringing her robe up to mop up the sweat on her forehead.

"Excellent!" Lupin said, striding over to where Harri sat. "Excellent, Harri! That was definitely a start!"

"Can we have another go? Just one more go?"

"Not now," Lupin said firmly. "You've had enough for one night. Here-"

He handed Harri a large bar of Honeydukes' best chocolate.

"Eat the whole lot, or Madam Pomfrey will be after my blood. Same time next week?"

"Ok." Harri smiled. Happily eating her chocolate. The two fell into a comfortable silence as Lupin relit the lamps which the fake Dementor had extinguished. It was broken when a question left Harri's lips.

"So you knew my dad?" Harri asked. She saw Lupin pause for only a moment, before continuing around the lamps.

"I did, we were quite close." A fond smile came over her Professor's lips.

"What was he like?" Harri found herself asking. Lupin turned to look at her, a sad look crossing his eyes before he walked back over to sit next to her.

"A loyal friend, not too shabby on the academic side and knew how to get into some mischief." Lupin said with a small smile.

"And my mother? Did you know her?" Harri continued to munch on her chocolate, but her attention was hanging on to Lupin's every word.

"I did," Lupin admitted. "You mother was not unlike your friend Miss Granger, top of the class. She and James were head boy and girl in our final year."

"I know." Lupin gave her a puzzled look prompting her to continue. "I saw their name on a shield in the trophy cabinet. The one with the names of all the head boys and girls….In my first year I kind of spent some of my time trying to find out about them. I saw my dad was on the Quidditch team and my mum was a prefect as well."

"Yes James could fly very well, though I dare say you could out fly him, something he would be most proud of." Harri couldn't help but give a proud smirk at his compliment. Lupin continued, "and if you can perform such advanced magic like you showed tonight, well your mother would be proud too."

The pair returned to silence. Lupin thinking about his lost friends while Harri bathed in the glow of knowing her parents would be proud of her. A thought crossed Harri's mind, ruining her happy moment but she found herself saying it out loud before thinking.

"Professor Lupin, if you knew my dad, did you know Sirius Black as well?"

"What gives you that idea?" He asked sharply.

"Nothing- I mean, I just knew they were friends at Hogwarts too…"

Lupin's face relaxed.

"Yes I did," he said shortly. "Well I thought I did. Anyway, you better head off to bed Harri, it's getting late."

Harri took her cue and left, finishing the chocolate as she went.


	14. Stuck in the Middle

"You're expecting too much of yourself," said Professor Lupin sternly. "For a 13-year-old witch, even an indistinct Patronus is a huge achievement."

This was Harri's fourth week of practice of performing the spell required to keep Dementors away and so far, it had not been progressing as she would like. The match against Ravenclaw was coming up soon and she needed to be confident she could keep any Dementors away if they turned up again. She could make an indistinct silvery shadow come out of her wand but had yet to make a full formed Patronus no matter how hard she tried.

She had been so confident after her first lesson with Lupin but like with everything else going on in her life, things weren't going as she would like.

Her Firebolt was still under investigation by her Professors and it looked more and more likely she was going to have to use a school broom for the match. And to top it off, her and Ron were still at odds with Hermione. Without Hermione's guidance and vastly better organisational skills, Harri could feel her schoolwork getting on top of her.

"You aren't passing out any more, are you?" Lupin continued.

"No," Harri gave a sigh. "But I want to do better, I thought this spell was suppose to help chase them down and make them disappear-"

"The true Patronus does do that," said Lupin. "But you've achieved a great deal in a very short space of time. If the Dementors put in an appearance at your next Quidditch match, you will be able to keep them at bay long enough to get back to the ground."

"But I want to be able to keep flying, continue with the game."

"And you will be able to continue if you land safely. If you fall off your broom again on the other hand, I doubt you'll be as quick to return to the sky," Lupin reasoned with her. Harri chose not to respond for a moment but she knew he was right.

"You said it's harder if there are loads of them, what if they're too many?" Harri asked, doubt filling her voice.

"I have complete confidence in you," said Lupin, smiling. "Here – you've earned a drink. Something from the Three Broomsticks, you won't have tried it before." He leaned down and pulled two bottles out of his briefcase.

"Oh Butterbeer, I love that stuff." Harri said without thinking. Lupin raised an eyebrow at her and Harri quickly thought on her feet to come up with a believable lie. "Ron and Hermione brought some back from Hogsmeade after the last trip."

"I see," Lupin gave her a look to say he wasn't buying her story but decided not to press further. "Well, let's drink to a Gryffindor victory against Ravenclaw! Not that I'm supposed to take sides as a teacher…." He added hastily.

"What house were you in sir, when you were here?" Harri found herself asking, sipping away at her Butterbeer.

"Gryffindor, with your father. It surprised my parents, they thought I would be in Ravenclaw." Lupin gave her a small smile, slowly drinking his own beverage.

"The sorting hat almost put me in Slytherin," Harri found herself saying. Only Dumbledore knew this but for some reason Harri felt she could trust Lupin, he wouldn't judge her for this. "There was a time last year I thought I should have been. That I made a mistake when I asked the hat not to put me in Slytherin."

"And now?"

"And now I know I'm exactly where I'm suppose to be," Harri found herself sharing a smile with her Professor.

"I'm glad to hear," Lupin told her. The two again returned to a comfortable silence, sipping on their beverages.

After a while had passed Harri finally asked the question she had been wanting to ask since she found out Lupin had been friends with her father.

"Professor, I was wondering if I could ask you a question about my parents." Harri watched her Professor tensed slightly but his face remained calm.

"I can't guarantee I can answer, but I won't stop you asking it."

"Do you have anything of theirs? Or pictures or something that relates to them?" Harri managed to push out, she knew how odd the question was. She also knew the likelihood of his answer being no but she had to ask. When he did not answer straight away Harri continued. "My Aunt and Uncle didn't keep anything from them. I do have this lovely photo album Hagrid made for me with pictures of them, but I just thought I would ask if you had anything."

"Ah yes your album, I remember Hagrid writing to me about that. I believe all the photos I have of your parents I sent back to him." Harri nodded, trying not to show her disappointment. She could see him hesitate for a moment, as if wanting to say something but then thought better of it.

"It's okay, I had a feeling that would be the case." Harri tried to smile to show him she was okay with it but she knew once again he didn't believe her. So instead she thought of another question to change the subject. "What's under a Dementor's hood?"

Lupin was startled by the change in subject for only a moment before he answered the question. Harri could say she wished she hadn't asked when Lupin began to explain about the Dementor's kiss. Harri was shocked at herself when she had openly admitted she was glad Sirius Black would be receiving that punishment on his capture. She couldn't fully explain her reasons though to Lupin, otherwise she would reveal her secret escapade to Hogsmeade.

Instead Harri quickly finished her Butterbeer, thanked her teacher and then made her way back to the Gryffindor common room. She was so pre-occupied with her thoughts, she walked headlong into McGonagall. Any embarrassment she felt though, quickly melted away when she got the wonderful news her broom had been cleared. Harri Potter was going to be flying on a Firebolt!

Harri was quick to make her way back to the common room. Along the way Ron came up to her, grinning ear to ear. He was trying to find her to tell her the good news but once he saw the Firebolt in her hand, he realised McGonagall had found her first. The two of them were grinning like idiots, Harri promising Ron he could have a go on it after her next practice.

They both also came to the decision they should try and make up with Hermione.

They met Neville outside who had been struggling with Sir Cadogan's constant need to change the password as often as possible. Once inside her Firebolt became the centre of attention, it was passed around with excitement. Apparently, McGonagall had been to the common first looking for her, and word had spread quickly about the Quidditch team's newest broom.

Once the crowd dispersed, Ron and Harri made their way over to Hermione, the only person who hadn't rushed over to them. She was bent over working, carefully avoiding their eyes. Once at her table, she finally looked up.

"I got it back," Harri said, grinning at her and holding up the Firebolt.

"See Hermione? There wasn't anything wrong with it!" Said Ron.

"Well – there _might_ have been!" Hermione defended, "I mean, at least you know now it's safe"

"That's true." Harri nodded. The trio went silent before Ron gave a yelp of surprise as he remembered something.

"Oh, I need to go give Scabbers his rat tonic. Will be back in a minute." Ron bounded up the boys' staircase leaving the two girls alone.

"Can I sit down?" Harri asked.

"I suppose so," said Hermione, moving a great stack of parchment off a chair.

The pair went silent, Harri looking over all the scrolls and textbooks littering Hermione's desk. Harri did want to ask how she was managing it all but knew Hermione would avoid the subject like she had been doing all year. Instead she decided to finally get off her chest about what had upset her.

"Look Hermione, I'm not annoyed you told McGonagall." Harri said.

"Hmmph, you could have fooled me," Hermione replied with a disbelieving look.

"I'm being serious," Harri continued. "In fact before you came back that night, I was planning to go give it to her myself, once Ron was distracted."

"If that's the case, why have you been so upset with me?"

"Because you went behind my back, that you didn't trust me that I was going to do the right thing." Harri told her, Hermione looked to the ground, finally understanding why Harri had been acting the way she had. "You know before coming to Hogwarts I didn't have many friends…actually I don't think I had _any_ friends. But you and Ron….well to know I have two people I can rely on no matter what, it means so much to me. Which is why, when I found out you ratted on me, it really stung. It made me think we weren't as close as I thought."

"Harri of course not, you can trust me. I honestly thought I was doing what was best for you," Hermione explained, and Harri could see in her eyes she meant it. "I didn't exactly have many friends either before coming here. And none as close as you and Ron. I'm sorry I made you feel like that."

"I'm sorry I've been too stubborn to talk to you about it."

"Both of us have been." Hermione and Harri shared a smile. "Friends?"

"Always."

Harri and Hermione wrapped their arms around each other, happy their fight was over. When they pulled away Harri gave a puzzled look towards the boy's stairwell.

"What is taking Ron so long?" Harri asked.

Before Hermione could reply, the sound of a strangled yell echoed down the boys' staircase. The whole common room fell silent, staring, petrified, at the entrance. There came hurried footsteps, growing louder and louder – and then Ron came leaping into view, dragging with him a bedsheet.

"LOOK!" He bellowed, striding over to Hermione's table. "LOOK!" he yelled, shaking the sheets in her face.

"Ron, what-?" Hermione spluttered but was quickly cut off.

"SCABBERS! LOOK! SCABBERS!"

Hermione was leaning away from Ron, looking utterly bewildered. Harri looked down at the sheet Ron was holding, noticing something red on it, something that looked horrible like-

"BLOOD!" Ron yelled into the stunned silence. "HE'S GONE! AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE FLOOR?"

"Ron calm down," Harri tried but she could see she was having no effect on him.

Instead Ron flung ginger cat hairs on top of Hermione's Rune translation textbook.

"Ron I'm sure Crookshanks-" Hermione tried to start but Harri could hear the tremble in her voice.

"YOUR BLOODY CAT HAS EATEN MY RAT!" Ron continued to shout. Harri could hear a snigger come from the far side of the room. Conscious of the audience and Hermione's face going redder by the second from the embarrassment, Harri stepped between the pair and pulled down the Ron's hand holding the bedsheet up.

"Ron that's enough, you've made you point." Harri told him sternly. Ron seemed to get the message and she saw some of the anger leave his face. Harri then turned back to the room. "Show's over folks, mind your own business again."

The background chatter quietly began to emerge before the usual sounds of the common room filled the air. Harri turned to look at her best friends and could see their friendship was not going to be repaired any time soon.

"Ron, I don't believe Crookshanks would have eaten Scabbers." Hermione said, her confidence returning.

"Well what else does it look like?" Ron asked astonished at her denial.

"You've hated Crookshanks ever since you met him."

"For good reason, that thing has tried to kill Scabbers more times than I can count" Ron countered. Harri was keeping quiet, knowing whatever she said would be met with outrage by one of them.

"It's not a thing _Ronald_ , he's my cat. Honestly, did you even look properly up there? Check under all the beds?"

"What do you think took me so long?" Ron's voice was starting to rise again and Harri decided she needed to step in.

"Look you two arguing isn't going to solve anything tonight." Harri finally said. "Maybe it's best –"

"Harri tell her, her _cat_ ate Scabbers!" Ron spun to look at her.

"Harri, tell Ron that Scabbers is probably just hiding somewhere." Hermione turned to look at Harri.

Harri gave a gulp, feeling both eyes landing on her. She really did want her friends to get along again. She wanted to make Hermione happy, they had only just got past the fight over her broom, but she also knew the evidence was in Ron's favour. She gave a sigh, knowing she was in a no-win situation.

"Hermione I'm sorry, but it does look like Crookshanks ate Scabbers," Harri finally admitted. Ron gave a smug smirk while Hermione looked like she was about to explode.

"OK, side with Ron, I knew you would!" Hermione said in a shrill voice.

"That's not fair-"

"Isn't it? First the Firebolt, now Scabbers, everything's my fault, isn't it!"

"Hermione I just told you why I was annoyed about the Firebolt." Harri's jaw clenched annoyed she was now getting flack for her argument with Ron.

"Both of you just leave me alone, I've got a lot of work to do."

Harri sighed before grabbing Ron's arm and pulling him away from their friend. Harri tried to talk to Hermione one more time when they went to bed but Hermione was either in a very deep sleep or was ignoring her. Harri had a feeling the latter idea was more likely.

* * *

"Why so glum Harri?" George asked as he came to sit next to her at breakfast the next morning. Fred sat the other side next to Ron who was moping into bacon sandwich.

"Do you really need me to answer that?" Harri asked back, nodding her head towards Ron, who was taking the loss of Scabbers very hard.

"He does love to throw himself a pity party." The bright voice of Ginny Weasley said as she sat down the other side of Harri. The two shared a smile at her joke, Harri trying very hard not to laugh.

"Hey, you would be upset too if he had been your rat," Ron said annoyed at his sister's comment. He took a large bit of his sandwich and chewed with grumpy look.

"But thankfully he wasn't," Ginny muttered. Harri had to hide her snigger into her porridge but by the way Ginny smiled, she knew the younger girl had caught her.

"Come on Ron, it's been hard enough not talking to Hermione these past few weeks, I don't fancy another few weeks without her, can you talk to her please." Harri pleaded but Ron merely grunted her way.

"Manners of a troll there Ron," George teased his brother.

"Yeah, the way you've been moaning you would think you've swapped places with the ghoul in the attic," Fred started to poke Ron's face, "Wait a minute, you could have actually."

"Get off George," Ron said, swiping away his brother's hands.

"Actually that's Fred." Harri said without thinking. She began to lift her next spoonful of porridge to her mouth when she felt four sets of eyes on her. She paused and lowered the spoon back down and looked to see the astounded faces on the four Weasley children looking at her. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"How did you know I'm not George?" Fred asked, forgetting about Ron and focusing all his attention on Harri.

"You must have mentioned it when you sat down," Harri shrugged, feeling uncomfortable with the group's stares.

"We didn't," George said next to her.

"Lucky guess," Harri gave a small laugh.

"Nah you've been getting it right for a while now Potter," Fred told her with a suspicious look.

"Even when we've got it wrong," George joked.

"I don't know what to tell you," Harri looked to her porridge, conscious her cheeks were getting redder by the second.

She couldn't tell them she could tell them apart because George's voice was softer; that Fred face was just slightly rounder or the fact if close enough you could see George had a dragon pox scar on his forehead, something he mentioned to her back when she first started at Hogwarts. No if she told them that, then they would tease her to no end. But now she thought about it, when _had_ _she_ noticed these differences…..

"How can you tell them apart when I'm their brother and I struggle?" Ron asked forgetting about his breakfast sandwich.

"It's not my fault you don't pay enough attention Ron," Harri shot gaining a laugh from Ginny beside her. Thankfully the attention shifted back over to her best friend.

"Hey, be nice. I'm in mourning," Ron began to pout again.

"Come on Ron, you were always saying how boring Scabbers was," said Fred bracingly. "And he's been off-colour for ages, he was wasting away. It was probably better for him to sniff it quickly. One swallow – he probably didn't feel a thing."

" _Fred!"_ said Ginny indignantly.

"All he did was eat and sleep Ron, you said it yourself," said George.

"He bit Goyle for us once!" Ron said miserably. "Remember Harri?"

"Oh yeah he did, got a good chunk too," Harri went back to her porridge, trying to sound supportive but Ron's siblings could see through it.

"His finest hour," said Fred, unable to keep a straight face. "Let the scar on Goyle's finger stand as a lasting tribute to his memory. Oh come on Ron, get yourself down to Hogsmeade and buy a new rat. What's the point of moaning?"

Ron muttered something under his breath, Harri wasn't sure what it was but Fred heard.

"Ronald, I should wash your mouth out with soap for using such language." Fred asked with fake horror.

Harri laughed alongside Ginny.

"Come on Ron, I'll get you a new rat for your birthday," Harri suggested, earning a half-hearted nod. Harri decided to offer something she knew he wanted. "Will it cheer you up if I told you, you can have a ride on my Firebolt tonight, after practice?"

At that Ron did perk up.

"Brilliant! Can I try and shoot a few goals on it?" Ron asked brightly.

"Wow your period of mourning lasted long," George muttered. He caught Harri's eye and the two shared a smile.

"Come on we better get to the greenhouses. See you in the common room Ginny, and see you two at practice," Harri said towards the group, going to stand up. Ron too was making a move to leave.

"Don't think we haven't forgotten you getting our names right Potter," Fred said with a smirk.

"We'll catch you out you know." George said, mirroring his brother's smirk.

"I would say bring it on, but that would imply I think you could pose a challenge." Harri gave a smirk of her own, the twins opened their mouths in fake outrage but she could see they were trying hard not to laugh. "Come on Ron, see you guys later."

And with that Harri and Ron left the great hall for another day at Hogwarts.


	15. Back on a Winning Streak

They had done it!

Gryffindor had beaten Ravenclaw at Quidditch and they were one step closer to winning the cup. The whole of Gryffindor seemed to be celebrating as the House partied in the common room. The twins had ventured to Hogsmeade and returned with Butterbeer, Pumpkin Fizz and several bags full of Honeydukes sweets.

Harri herself was in great spirits. Her Firebolt had been as fast and agile as she had hoped, and it had easily out flown Cho Chang's broom. The Ravenclaw seeker had tried to stop Harri but with her new broom, she felt unstoppable and she had easily caught the snitch first.

Ron and Harri was laughing with Seamus and Dean, the boys seemed to be replaying the action of the match minute by minute. Harri was content, until her eyes looked around the room and came across the only person in Gryffindor who wasn't celebrating.

Hermione was sat in the far corner, her nose pressed into a book. Harri excused herself from the group, who were now watching the Fred and George juggle Butterbeer bottles, and made her way over to her friend.

"You know, you can have one night off." Harri said as she sat down.

"I can't, I need to read this by Monday," Hermione answered, not even looking up from her book. Harri raised an eyebrow at the enormous book she was reading, _Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles._

"Hermione, if you're that stressed how much of that book do you actually think you're taking in?" Harri questioned. At this, Hermione did look up and Harri could tell by the look on her face, Hermione knew she had a point. "Come have some food, relax a little."

"I can't Harri, I've still got 422 pages to read!" said Hermione, now sounding slightly hysterical.

"About a subject you know almost everything about already, or are you forgetting the fact you grew up in a muggle household?"

"Why do you even care? I thought you were angry with me?"

"Hermione I wasn't angry with you, you were angry with me because of the Crookshanks Scabbers thing." Harri pointed out. She got a _hmph_ in response. "Look I'm sick of this fighting, I thought we had made up?"

"We had, until you went and sided with Ron."

"I didn't side with Ron, I just said what I thought it looked like," Harri argued back. She finally gave a sigh and decided to stand up from her chair. "I'm not going to force you to come and join us, no matter how much I wish you would. I know you're upset with Ron but don't let this one fight ruin a great friendship."

Harri could see she was about to break through to Hermione, that this whole fight was about to be put to the side when Ron's voice interrupted their conversation. "If Scabbers hadn't just been _eaten,_ he could have had some of these Fudge Flies, he used to really like them-"

Hermione burst into tears. Before Harri could say or do anything, Hermione had tucked the enormous book under her arm, and, still sobbing, ran towards the staircase to the girls' dormitories and out of sight.

"Can't you give her a break?" Harri went over and asked Ron.

"No," said Ron flatly. "If she just acted like she was sorry - but she'll never admit she's wrong, Hermione. She's still acting like Scabbers has gone on holiday or something."

"The pair of you are as frustrating as each other." Harri shot back, deciding to leave the party and head upstairs to the room she shared with the other third year girls.

Hermione was alone, sat on her bed, quietly crying. She looked up and surprise came over her face as she watched Harri walk into the room and come and sit on her bed.

"Boys are idiots," Harri found herself saying, earning a small laugh from Hermione.

"Harri you should be downstairs celebrating, Gryffindor won," said Hermione, her large textbook sat forgotten on her bedside desk.

"Nah, I should be here with my friend. Besides, I can celebrate when we win the cup." Harri and Hermione shared a smile before Harri learnt over and gave her best friend a hug.

* * *

Harri had somehow managed to broker peace between her two best friends. Well when she said peace, more they could tolerate each other's presence without snapping at each other. They were far from friendly, with Ron pretending Hermione wasn't in the room while Hermione would only call Ron, Ronald and send him pointed looks. Harri would sigh and try and get them to talk but it was no use. Harri was just glad to have made some progress and hoped they could go back to the way things were sooner rather than later.

The crack in the friendship had become so noticeable even Hagrid had mentioned something to them after inviting Ron and Harri down for tea. Not to mention the whole Sirius Black trying to stab Ron.

After celebrating the win against Ravenclaw, McGonagall had come to send everyone to bed when an hour later, Ron's screams could be heard throughout the Gryffindor tower. Apparently Black had broken in and had tried to stab Ron in his sleep, a story Ron had told everyone who would listen.

Harri was confused though, if Black was truly after her why did he attack Ron? Ron had said it was probably because he was her best friend and wanted to lure her out, or maybe he got the boys' and girls' dormitories confused. Harri argued Black had been a Gryffindor so would know which staircase was which. If he also had got as far as to get into the common room, why not just attack Harri, why go for Ron first?

Hermione had said they were good points but both agreed they couldn't go to the Professors about it. If they did, it would reveal Harri had overheard their conversation that day in Hogsmeade that led to Harri finding out the truth about Sirius Black. Ron told Harri she was overthinking it and Black was a madman, who knew what his thought process was.

Hermione insisted Harri should give McGonagall the Mauraders Map as they could lead to the passages Black may have used the enter the castle. However, Harri had to disagree with her on that, arguing the passages were so secret it was unlikely Black would know about them. Besides the Dementors in Hogsmeade made it very unlikely Black could sneak into Honeydukes and take the only passageway still useable.

Her bushy haired friend was not impressed and though she had learnt not to go behind Harri's back after the Firebolt incident, she did threaten to break her trust, and tell McGonagall if Harri went to Hogsmeade again on the next trip.

As Harri looked around Snape's office, she wished she had listen to Hermione and not snuck off to Hogsmeade. She felt bad enough to have lied to her friend and conspired with Ron to sneak back to the village, but neither could foresee her invisibility cloak falling off and Malfoy spotting her. After a mad dash back to the castle, leaving the cloak in the passage under the humped one-eyed witch, Harri had been caught by Snape in the corridor.

Harri did her best to deflect Snape's suspicions but she knew the potions master had it out for her. She lied and told him she had been in Gryffindor tower but he knew she didn't have anyone who could corroborate her story. He changed tactics then, trying to provoke her by insulting her father.

"How extraordinary like your father you are Potter," Snape said suddenly, his eyes glinting, "He too, was exceedingly arrogant. A small amount of talent on the Quidditch pitch made him think he was a cut above the rest of us too. Strutting around the place with his friends and admirers….the resemblance between you is uncanny."

"My father didn't _strut_ ", said Harri before she could stop himself. "You seemed to have paid a lot of attention to my father for someone who didn't like him."

"Silence!" Snape snapped. "Your father didn't play by rules either, rules were for lesser mortals, not Quidditch Cup-winners. His head was so swollen-"

"SHUT UP!"

Harri was on her feet, rage she had not felt since that night at Privet Drive was coursing through her veins. She didn't care that Snape's face had gone rigid, the black eyes flashing dangerously.

Harri shouted she knew her father had saved Snape's life, Dumbledore telling her so in first year. Snape took great fun in shooting her heroic version of her dad down, telling her he had only saved his life after being the one to endanger it in the first place.

The two continued to go back and forth, leading to Snape emptying out her pockets and finding her recent purchases from Hogsmeade and the blank parchment that was the Marauders map. Snape tried to get the map to show its contents but to Harri's great amusement, the map began to insult him instead.

Snape decided to summon Lupin, claiming it was dark magic but her Defence against the Dark Arts teacher simply laughed it off, remarking it was more likely a joke product from Zonkos. At that moment Ron came bursting in, out of breath but managed to choke out

"I – gave – Harri – that - stuff…Brought- it – in Zonko's – ages – ago…"

"Well!" said Lupin, clapping his hands together and looking around cheerfully. "That seems to clear that up! Severus, I'll take this back, shall I?" He folded the map and tucked it inside his robes. "Harri, Ron, come with me, I need a word about my vampire essay. Excuse us Severus…"

Harri didn't dare look at Snape as they left his office. She, Ron and Lupin walked all the way back to the Entrance Hall before speaking. Then Harri turned to Lupin.

"Professor, I-"

"I don't want to hear explanations," said Lupin shortly. Harri immediately felt her cheeks redden and a feeling a guilt beginning to well up inside of her. "I happen to know that this map was confiscated by Mr Filch many years ago. Yes, I know it's a map," he said as Harri and Ron looked amazed. "I don't want to know how it fell into your possession. I am however, _astounded_ that you didn't hand it in. Particularly after what happened the last time a student left information about the castle lying around. And I can't let you have it back Harri."

Harri nodded her head, expecting that decision.

"I am sorry Professor Lupin, I just really wanted to go to Hogsmeade." Harri tried to explain but hearing it out loud she knew how pathetic it sounded.

"I understand that Harri but to not hand this in was incredibly stupid and I expected better of you,"

And with that Harri felt like her Professor had punched her in the stomach with the way she felt. She had really wanted to make him proud, and to hear how disappointed he was, was worse than any insult Snape could throw at her.

"You're right," Harri nodded. Another question came to her then from something Snape had said. "Why did Snape think I got it from the manufacturers?"

"Because…" Lupin hesitated, "because these manufactures would have wanted to lure you out of the school. They'd think it extremely funny."

"Do you know them?"

"We've met," Lupin said shortly, he was looking at Harri more seriously than he had before. "Don't expect me to cover up for you again, Harri. I cannot make you take Sirius Black seriously. But I would have thought that what you heard when the Dementors draw near you would have had more of an effect on you. Your parents gave their lives to keep you alive, Harri. A poor way to repay them-gambling their sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks."

He walked away leaving Harri speechless. He was right, she had been acting incredibly selfish. This was even worse than the time she had lost all those house points in first year for sneaking out.

Slowly Ron and Harri began to make their way back to the common room. Harri thought about her cloak left in the passage way but she wasn't going to risk going back for it anytime soon.

"It's my fault," said Ron abruptly. "I persuaded you to go. Lupin's right, it was stupid."

"Ron it's my fault not yours. I could have, and I should have, said no and not come," Harri told him. "Come on, let's just get back to the common room."

They reached the corridor where the security trolls were pacing when they saw Hermione walking towards them. One look at her face convinced Harri that she had heard what had happened.

"Come to have a good gloat?" said Ron savagely as she stopped in front of them. "Or have you just been to tell on us?"

"No," said Hermione. She was holding a letter in her hands and her lip was trembling. "I just thought you ought to know…Hagrid lost the case. Buckbeak is going to be executed."

* * *

THEY HAD DONE IT! GRYFFINDOR HAD WON THE QUIDDITCH CUP!

The common room was alive as everyone was celebrating the win. The cup was proudly under Wood's arm, having not left his side since leaving the pitch. Harri was sat with her best friends, bathing in the glow of having finally won the cup. Even Hermione had taken the night off from studying to celebrate.

After the announcement about Buckbeak, Ron and Hermione seemed to forget their differences and the two were back to their old selves, much to Harri's relief. Having her friends talking to each other again had made the last few weeks much more bearable.

The match had been tough, with Slytherin throwing in dirty trick after dirty trick, but somehow Gryffindor had still managed to win by over 200 points and win the cup. The twins had snuck down to the kitchens this time rather than all the way to Hogsmeade, and the room was full of delicious treats as everyone celebrated. Harri doubted McGonagall would tell them to go to bed anytime soon after the way Harri saw her head of house sobbing with the win.

"I still can't get over you managing to take the snitch right from Malfoy's grasp!" Ron exclaimed, digging in to another pumpkin pasty.

"Yeah Harri, that Firebolt is really something," Dean joined in. Dean and Neville were sat next to him, with Hermione, Ron and Harri on the adjacent couch.

"The Firebolt only does so much, the rest is all Harri," Ron said proudly of his best friend.

"You could turn professional if you wanted Harri, ever thought about it?" Seamus asked her. Harri shrugged having never really thought about it, in fact she had never really thought about what she wanted to do once she left Hogwarts.

"Maybe, though I think I could only play for the Canons otherwise Ron would never talk to me again," Harri joked, earning a laughing from her friends. "I'm gonna get another cauldron cake, anyone want anything?"

"Ohh I'll take another pumpkin pasty," Ron said, his mouth full, finishing the pasty in his hands. Harri and Hermione shared a smile, the two having previously discussed many a time about Ron's bottomless stomach.

Harri stood up from the sofa and made her way over to the food where she was met by the overly keen Colin Creevey, his trusty camera in his hand.

"Great match today Harri!" The second year said to her.

"Thanks Colin," Harri gave him a small smile. Though she did still find the boy slightly irritating, her tolerance for him had increased massively after he was petrified by the Basilisk last year.

"I got some great action shots of you out there, can send you a copy if you like." Colin gave her a bright smile as he held up his camera.

"You know what, I actually would like that. Let me know how much it costs and I can give you the money for printing, can say you're a paid photographer." Harri gave him a smile. She thought the poor boy was about to faint with excitement but he managed to stay upright before running off to tell all his friends that Harri Potter wanted to buy his photos.

"You may as well just give him a badge that says president of your fan club," a teasing voice said next to her.

Harri turned to see the smirking face of George looking at her. She could feel her cheeks redden but she looked to the table of food trying to hide it.

"He probably got some good shots of you and Fred too, you should ask for them. I'm sure your mum would love them." Harri said picking up a cauldron cake for herself.

"You mean George and I?"

Harri looked at the smirking twin with a raised eyebrow.

"Nice try Weasley, but I know you're George." Harri said with a smug smirk of her own as she made her way to the opposite side of the table to pick out a pasty for Ron. The twins had stuck to their threat and had been trying to catch her out whenever they could, even going as far as changing their hair to different styles and getting other people to call them the wrong name, just to catch her out. So far Harri had always been able to tell the two apart.

"How?" George threw up his arms in fake exasperation.

"Well tonight it's pretty obvious seeing as Fred's over there flirting with Angelina…unless the both of you are pining after her," Harri nodded her head in the direction of the afore mentioned twin. George turned to see his brother talking to older girl, before turning back to Harri with a smile.

"Touche." George leaned for an open packet of Bertie Bott's every flavour beans. Like back at the hospital wing, he threw a bean up in the air and missed his mouth.

"For a Beater who played really well today, you do have poor aim." Harri laughed watching him fail to get another bean in his mouth.

"I do not!" George said with mock hurt. "Bet I can get this one in your mouth?"

Harri narrowed her eyes in disbelief but opened her mouth anyway for him to try. Surprisingly George managed to land the bean right into her mouth, giving a cheer in victory.

"Ew," Harri moaned, "Horseradish"

"That's what you get for doubting my extraordinary sporting ability," George said throwing another one up in the air and managing to catch it in his own mouth, "Urgh, liver."

"And that is karma for laughing at me about my flavour," Harri laughed at him, going back around the table to the same side as him. "You really did play well today."

"Meh, everyone knows you won it, beating Malfoy to the snitch like that," George shrugged.

"It was a team effort, no point in me catching the snitch if we weren't going to win by 200 points. Beaters included," Harri gave him a genuine smile then that George reciprocated.

"Yeah you're right, Fred and I really do carry that team." Harri laughed at him and gave him a playful shove. He motioned the box of beans towards her, "One more?"

"Why does anyone eat them? You can get such horrible tasting ones," Harri questioned.

"Because when you get the nice ones, makes them taste all the more better," George argued. He threw another one up and caught in his mouth before smiling down at Harri, "See I got bacon that time. And I wouldn't truly appreciate it if I wasn't trying to get rid of the taste of liver in my mouth."

"Aha fine but I'm going to give you a challenge." George raised a questioning eyebrow at her. Harri then began to make her way back over to the sofa where her friends were sat, on the other side of the room. She placed her plate of food down before turning back around to look at George several feet away. The older boy did not back down from the challenge but instead raised his voice to get the attention of the room.

"Good people of Gryffindor, let it be known that if I land this Bertie Botts every flavour bean in Potter's mouth I may get to ride her Firebolt whenever I so please!" George announced, getting the attention of the room.

"And if you miss?" Ron asked with an amused tone.

"If he misses, he has to dye his hair green and silver for a week," Harri said, causes laughs and gasps to emanated from the room.

"Deal." George said with a smirk. Fred began to tap his feet and hands and quickly others joined in until the whole room was shaking.

The room watched with anticipation as George threw the bean and somehow, managed to land it straight into Harri's mouth.

The room exploded into cheers as people couldn't believe he had managed it. Fred ran to hug and lift George off the floor as if they had won the cup all over again. At some point George made his way over to Harri and ruffled her hair.

"Though I'm sure I could pull off the green and silver, I'm rather looking forward to flying your Firebolt." He said with a smirk, before walking back over to join his friends.

Harri sat back down with a smile of her own as she munched away on the chocolate cake flavoured bean. George had been right, the bad ones made the good ones taste all the more better.

Ron and the other boys were discussing how impossible the throw was and theorising what magic George could have used to land it. Hermione on the other hand was looking at Harri with a knowing smirk.

"What?" Harri leaned over and asked her friend, "Why are you smiling?"

"Oh nothing really, I'm sure I'm just imagining it," Hermione said but the smile on her face didn't make Harri believe her.

Harri decided to leave it and instead enjoy the rest of the night celebrating Gryffindor's win.

* * *

**Hello everyone**

**Firstly sorry for the delay in the update - work is hectic for me at the moment (actually it always will be) and I finished late yesterday hence why the delay in posting until today.**

**Thank you to everyone who have kudos, commented, subscribed and bookmarked. It honestly does keep me going and inspire me to write more chapters.**

**Anyway I hope you enjoyed - this was one of my favourite chapters so far.**

**Vex**


	16. Hardly Anything

Harri walked towards the lake with baited breath.

She could sense the Dementors approaching as they converged on Sirius Black. To think earlier that day Harri wanting the man to suffer, and had now travelled back in time to try and save him.

Harri knew she shouldn't be seen but the thought of what was happening at the lake and who she may miss was too overpowering, and Harri soon found herself running as fast as she could. She quickly made it to the lake edge and could see Sirius lying there across the water, with the Dementors' unrelenting attacks. Sure enough her past self and Hermione could be seen running towards him trying to save him, but to no avail.

It was okay though, Harri reminded herself, because at any moment now her father was going to appear in front of her and would summon a Patronus. As she lay on the bank about to pass out, she had seen him come to her rescue and she knew he was coming.

Harri told Hermione she had gone just to see when to save Sirius, but really Harri had come to see her father.

From behind her bush she could see her former self attempt a Patronus but the thin whispery silver barely had any effect on the swarming hooded creatures.

"Come on Dad..." Harri found herself whispering, "where are you?"

She looked around desperately but there was no sign of her rescuer. Across the lake she could see past Harri was on the ground, Hermione and Sirius looked like they had passed out. A Dementor started to approach her, its hood began to lower-

"Of course," Harri whispered as she finally realised exactly who she had seen save them. She ran to the end of the lake with her wand outstretched, " _EXPECTO PATRONUM!"_

From out of her wand leapt a large silver animal which galloped across the lake. She squinted her eyes to work out the animal's form but it was too far away to tell. She could see it lower its head as it charged at the swarming Dementors…now it was galloping around and around the black shapes on the ground, and the Dementors were falling back, scattering, retreating into the darkness…they were gone.

The Patronus turned and made its way back to her. It came to a halt a few steps away and Harri realised she had produced a magnificent Stag, shining brightly in the darkness of the night. It hit her then why her Patronus was a Stag of all creatures.

"Hi Prongs," She said, a single tear falling down her cheek. Harri reached out a hand to touch it but her hands met thin air as the Patronus vanished.

Harri's hand was still outstretched. Then, with a great leap of her heart, she heard hooves behind her – she whirled around and saw Hermione dashing towards her, dragging Buckbeak behind her.

" _What did you do?"_ Hermione asked fiercely, "You said you were only going to keep a lookout!"

"I can explain, just quickly behind the bush," Harri waved her hand towards the bush she had been hiding behind a few moments ago and the pair quickly ducked behind it. "You're not going to believe me."

"Harri are past selves are currently on the other side of this lake with a man we thought was a mass murdering a couple of hours ago, I'm sure whatever you have to say won't be the strangest thing I've heard today," Hermione told her with a raised eyebrow.

"Okay, well I just saved our lives," Harri admitted, "The Dementors were swarming us and one was lowering its hood about to give me a kiss, when I managed to produce a Patronus….Hermione my Patronus is a stag, my dad's Animagus."

Her friend thought over what she said, unsure how to respond.

"Harri, did anyone see you? The consequences-"

"I was seen...by me," At Harri's words, Hermione looked like she was about to have a heart attack but Harri quickly continued to avoid her meltdown. "But I didn't realise it was me, I thought it was my dad. Do you not remember me telling you that earlier?"

Hermione nodded, relaxing as she remembered their previous conversation. A smile then over took her lips as the realisation over Harri's achievement finally sunk in.

"Harri I can't believe you managed a fully formed Patronus that drove all those Dementors away, that's really, _really_ advanced magic," Hermione said.

"I think I could only do it because I know I could, because I had seen myself do it earlier…if that makes sense?" Harri had a smile of her own, proud she had achieved such a feat.

"I don't know – Harri look at Snape!"

Together they watched as Snape appeared and conjured stretches for the three unconscious bodies on the other side of the lake. They joined a fourth which Harri assumed was carrying Ron. The floating stretchers followed the direction of where Snape's wand pointed as he took them back to the castle.

Hermione and Harri knew they only had 45 minutes left until Dumbledore locked the hospital wing. If they didn't make it back in time Harri dread to think what the repercussions would be. They waited until they were sure Sirius had been taken to the West tower, the executioner McNair heading to fetch the Dementors had been their sign.

Using Buckbeak, the pair flew high into the sky with Hermione gripping on to Harri's robes as tightly as she could. Harri managed to steer the Hippogriff with the rope around his head, and hover outside the window to the room Sirius was being kept. With a sharp tap on the glass, her godfather looked up to see her and Hermione outside his window. Sirius's jaw dropped. He leapt up and tried to open the window, but it was locked.

"Stand back!" Hermione called to him, and she took out her wand, while still gripping the back of Harri's robes with her left hand. " _Alohomora!"_

The window sprang open.

"How- _how-?"_ said Black weakly, staring at the Hippogriff.

"Get on – there's not much time," said Harri, gripping Buckbeak firmly on either side of his sleek neck to hold him steady. "You've got to get out of here – the Dementors are coming. McNair's gone to get them."

Sirius managed to heave himself out of the window and sit behind Hermione on the back of Buckbeak.

"Ok, come on Buckbeak, up to the tower," said Harri shaking the rope.

The Hippogriff gave one sweep of its mighty wings and they were soaring upwards again, high as the top of the West Tower. Buckbeak landed with a clatter on the battlements and Harri and Hermione slid off him at once.

"Sirius, you better go, quick," Harri panted. "They're gonna reach Flitwick's office any moment and know that you've escaped."

Buckbeak pawed the ground, tossing his sharp head.

"What happened to your other friend, Ron?" Sirius asked urgently.

"He'll be fine, nothing Madame Pomfrey can't fix. You on the other hand, need to go, quick!"

But Sirius was still staring down at Harri.

"How can I ever thank-"

"GO!" Harri and Hermione shouted together.

Black wheeled Buckbeak around, facing the open sky.

"We'll see each other again," he told her.

"I know," Harri smiled back at him.

"You are, truly, your father's daughter Harri."

The smile on Harri's faced increased tenfold. She and Hermione watched as Buckbeak launched him and Sirius into the sky, their figures becoming smaller and smaller as they flew off into the distance.

* * *

Snape had not been happy when it was revealed Sirius had managed to escape, Harri though, thought his meltdown in front of Fudge made everything that much better. She shouldn't have been surprised though when she heard he had blabbed to Slytherin Lupin was a werewolf. He claimed it had been a slip of the tongue but Harri knew it was petty revenge.

When Harri heard her favourite Professor had resigned, she knew there wasn't much she could say to get him to stay but she still wanted to try. He wasn't just her Professor, he was also a connection back to her parents, and Harri wasn't sure she could face losing that after having to say to goodbye to Sirius.

Harri approached Lupin's door and found it to be open. He had packed most of his things already. The Grindylow's empty tank stood next to his battered old suitcase, which was open and nearly full. Lupin was bending over something on his desk, and only looked up when Harri knocked on the door.

"I saw you coming," said Lupin smiling. He pointed to the parchment he had been pouring over. It was the Marauder's map.

"I still can't believe you and dad help make that," Harri said with a smile before it dropped remembering why she had come to the office. "I just saw Hagrid, he says you've resigned."

"I'm afraid so Harri," Lupin gave her a sad smile.

"The Ministry don't think you were helping Sirius do they?"

Lupin crossed to the door and closed it behind Harri.

"No, Professor Dumbledore managed to convince Fudge that I was trying to save your lives," he sighed. "That was the final straw for Severus. I think the loss of the Order of Merlin hit him hard. So he – er- _accidentally,_ let slip that I am a werewolf this morning at breakfast."

"That slimey git," Harri found herself saying before she could have time to think. She paused and looked to Lupin to see if she was in trouble, instead he had a soft amused smile on his face.

"This time tomorrow the owls will start arriving from parents – they will not want a werewolf teaching their children Harri. And after last night. I see their point. I could have bitten any of you...that must never happen."

"But sir, you're the best Defence against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had. In fact I would say you're one of the best teachers here," Harri pleaded with him. "Please don't go."

Lupin shook his head and didn't speak. He carried on emptying his drawers. Then, while Harri was trying to think of a good argument to make him stay, Lupin said, "From what the Headmaster told me this morning, you saved a lot of lives last night, Harri. If I'm proud of anything, it's how much you've learned. Tell me about your Patronus."

Harri paused wondering how he had known but then again, he always seemed to know what was going on with her.

"I'm not entirely sure I can explain to you how I did it, but I managed to make a fully formed Patronus," Harri started to explain. "At first I wasn't sure what animal it was but then when it got closer I realised it was a stag." At that she could see Lupin still, a smile beginning to form on his lips. "I'm guessing that was my dad's Animagus. He was Prongs."

"You're right, he was always a stag when he transformed," Lupin said, before he turned to throw the last few books in his case. "Here – I brought this from the Shrieking Shak last night," he handed Harri back her invisibility cloak. "And…" he hesitated, then held out the Marauder's Map, too. "I am no longer your teacher, so I don't feel guilty about giving this back as well. It's no use to me, and I daresay you, Ron and Hermione will find uses for it."

Harri took the map and grinned.

"There is actually one last thing I want to give you," Lupin continued. He reached into his desk and opened the top draw to take out a book. "It's something I've wanted to give to you all year, especially after you asked about things to do with your parents. But I wasn't exactly sure how to give it to you without having to explain everything." Harri gave him a confused looked, not sure what he was saying. "You'll understand what I mean when you read it."

He handed the journal to her, and Harri was quick to open the book. She was surprised to find though the pages were empty, and she looked back to Lupin with an even more confused expression. Her Professor gave a small laugh.

"I'm sure you'll figure out how to read its contents," Lupin gave a knowing smirk. Before Harri could ask more, a knock came at the door. Harri quickly hid the cloak, map and book behind her back but she didn't need to as it was Professor Dumbledore.

"Your carriage is at the gates, Remus," he said.

"Thank you Headmaster." Lupin picked up his old suitcase and the empty Grindylow tank.

"Well- goodbye Harri," Lupin said smiling at her. "It has been a real pleasure teaching you. I feel we'll meet again some time. Headmaster, there is no need to see me to the gates, I can manage…"

"Goodbye then Remus," Dumbledore said soberly. Lupin shifted the tank slightly so that he and Dumbledore could shake hands. Then, with a final nod to Harri, and a swift smile, Lupin left the office.

Harri watched him leave with a sad expression, upset he had to go. She took a seat in his vacated chair, staring glumly at the floor. She heard the door close and looked up to see Dumbledore still there.

"Why so miserable, Harri?" he said quietly. "You should be very proud of yourself after last night."

"Hardly," Harri muttered. "Sirius is still on the run and Lupin had to leave. Feels the only person who got what they wanted was Pettigrew. I can't believe he got away."

"Hardly?" Dumbledore repeated quietly. "Harri you helped to uncover the truth. You saved an innocent man from a terrible fate. That's not something I would call _hardly_ anything."

Harri decided to talk to her Headmaster about Professor Trewlaney's predictions yesterday in her Divination exam. Dumbledore had looked mildly impressed, commenting it seemed to be one of only two true predictions Trelawney had ever made, even remarking she deserved a pay rise.

His quip caused Harri to smile a little before the thought of Pettigrew out there, free while Sirius was in hiding, turned her mood sour again. She voiced her regret at not letting Black and Lupin kill him. But Dumbledore told her, her father would have done the same, and there was no shame in letting Pettigrew live. In fact, Dumbledore said there would be a time in the future where she will be very glad she had saved Pettigrew's life.

Harri doubted it but didn't voice her disagreement.

She then thought about what to say next, hesitant he would laugh at her. She then realised Dumbledore would never do that.

"Last night…before I passed out from the Dementors, the first time I was at the lake. I thought it was my dad who conjured the Patronus. I thought I was seeing him."

"An easy mistake to make," said Dumbledore softly. "I expect you're tired of hearing it, but you do look extraordinarily like James, as if he were born a girl. Except your eyes of course, you have your mother's eyes."

Harri shook her head, "I was stupid. How could I ever believe it was him," she muttered. "I know he's dead and he's never coming back. Neither of them are."

"You think the dead we have loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble? Your father and mother are still alive in you Harri, and both show themselves most plainly when you need them. How else could you produce that particular Patronus? Prongs rode again last night."

It took Harri a moment to realise what Dumbledore had said.

"Sirius told me all about how they became Animagi last night," said Dumbledore smiling. "An extraordinary achievement – not least, keeping it quiet from me. And then I remembered the most unusual form your Patronus took, when it charged Mr Malfoy down at the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. So, you did see your father last night, Harri…you found him inside yourself."

And with that Dumbledore left the office, leaving Harri to her thoughts.

A smile came to her lips when she thought about what Dumbledore said, and she realised he was right. Your loved ones never truly leave you.

Suddenly she remembered the blank book Lupin had given her, and she quickly put it on the desk in front of her. Harri thought about what he said when an idea came to her…but surely it couldn't be that easy?

She pulled out her wand and tapped the book saying, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

Sure enough, words began to explode on to the page, as page after page was filled with writing and diagrams. Harri flicked to the front cover to see on the once black leather, now had a title in gold writing:

**Property of Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs**

**Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers**

Harri began to flick through and quickly realised what exactly she had been given. It was the journal the Marauders had used to come up with their ideas. On one page, she found new spell ideas, where on others it was ideas for potion recipes to be used in pranks. There was a large section in the middle about the design of the Marauder's map, and the magic behind it. On each page where several different types of handwriting, as each of them seemed to contribute different ideas.

Most of the handwriting belonged to Lupin, Harri could tell, recognising it from the past year of reading it on the blackboard in class. On one page, something scribbled at the side suddenly caught Harri's attention. The page was about how to lower the potency of a love potion.

_Dear Prongs, maybe this is how you finally get a date with a certain red-head you've been pining after – much love, Padfoot_

_Dear Padfoot, please do us a favour and kindly sod off – much love, Prongs_

Harri found herself laughing over the exchange, her finger tracing over the writing which had come from her father.

* * *

Hermione, Ron and Harri sat in their compartment on the Hogwarts Express as they travelled back home for the summer. In one hand Harri had the letter Sirius had sent her while she was on the train. The other was the journal Lupin gave her, something she had been devouring each night since she got it.

When she showed it to Ron and Hermione, both her friends were happy for her. Ron had asked to read it to see if he could finally prank the twins with some of the information in the book. Hermione admitted the magic was rather impressive and wouldn't mind being able to read the book herself. Both had managed to read its contents over the last remaining weeks at school before they headed home for the summer.

Ron was currently preoccupied with his new owl Sirius had sent him while Hermione was gently stroking Crookshanks. Harri herself was smiling over the fact Ron had just invited her to stay for the summer with the potential prospect of going to see the Quidditch world cup. She looked out the window to see they were nearly at King's Cross. She quietly excused herself to head to the bathroom, knowing the Dursely's wouldn't stop on the way back to Privet Drive for her, even if she was about to wet herself.

On the way back to her carriage she heard her name being called and she turned to see the twins eagerly waving her into their compartment. She gave them a smile as she stood in the doorway. They were sat with Lee Jordan, who was currently stuffing his face with a chocolate frog.

"Everything okay?" Harri asked, looking between the trio.

"Yeah, we're just having bets here about what really happened that night you three ended up in the hospital wing," Fred explained. "I think you guys snuck out to take down one of those security trolls like you did in first year and Lee thinks you were wrong place, wrong time."

"What about you George?" Harri asked, an amused smile on her face.

"I think you three broke out Sirius Black using that Hippogriff Malfoy wanted dead," George joked, believing it was an impossible theory. Harri did her best to keep the smile on her face as she faked laughed at the idea.

"All more exciting than what actually happened, believe me." Harri lied, she started to make her way back to her own carriage.

"Harri wait," She turned to see George had joined her in the corridor. "I told Fred about your prank sweets idea and he agrees it's a good one. Mind if we run with it, we've got a few ways we could go."

"I'm sure you could do a much better job with it then I could," Harri admitted, a little butterfly flitted in her stomach at the compliment he gave her.

"Well if you think of any more good ideas, Fred and I would love to hear them, just send an owl," George gave her a smile which Harri find herself automatically copying.

"Yeah, I will."

"Ron tell you about the Quidditch world cup?" George asked with excitement in his eyes.

"Yeah, he said you were hoping to get tickets and that maybe I could come with you."

"You would be more than welcome too. And remember to bring your Firebolt with you, wouldn't mind flying around on that in the summer seeing as I have open access to it." George gave her a wiggle of his eyebrows, reminding her about the bet with the every flavour beans.

"Only if I'm not using it," Harri pointed out.

"I don't remember that being part of the deal, pretty sure I can use it whenever I want, even if you want to," George argued with a mischievous grin.

"I would like to see you try take it off me," Harri challenged with a grin of her own. Harri could feel the train slowing and realised she should probably get back to Ron and Hermione. "I'll see you in a few weeks."

"Try not to blow up any aunts this time," George teased before heading back to his carriage with Fred and Lee. Harri found herself smiling and thought nothing more of the feeling of butterflies in her stomach when he smiled at her.

Ron and Hermione didn't ask any questions about why she had been gone so long, and instead the trio started to say their goodbyes. Harri wasn't looking forward to going back to the Durselys, even more so now she knew she had a Godfather out there that cared for her but she couldn't see.

When they got off the train, Harri was met with a large hug from Mrs Weasley and Ron reminding her he would write about the world cup. Harri pushed her trolley with Hedwig in her cage, sat on top of her case. The Durselys greeted her with their usual tone of disgust.

"What's that?" Uncle Vernon snarled, staring at the envelope Harri was still clutching in her hand. Her book she had already put in her case, hidden away so the Dursleys couldn't take it from her. "If it's another form for me to sign, you've got another-"

"It's not," said Harri cheerfully. "It's a letter from my godfather."

"Godfather?" Spluttered her uncle. "You haven't got a godfather!"

"Yes I have!" said Harri brightly. "He was my mum and dad's best friend. He's a convicted murder, but he's broken out of wizard prison and he's on the run. He likes to keep in touch with me though…keeping up with my news…check I'm happy…"

And grinning broadly at the look of horror on Uncle Vernon's face, Harri set off towards the station exit, Hedwig rattling along in front of her, for what looked like a much better summer than the last.

* * *

**And there we have book 3!**

**I hope you like the added plot with the journal - it will come up again in future chapters I promise.**

**Thank you to everyone who has been so kind to comment, bookmark, subscribe and kudos.**

**Until next week**

**Vex**


	17. Toffee Got Your Tongue

Harri lay in her bed too excited to go back to sleep.

Later that day the Weasleys would be coming to pick her up and she could say goodbye to the Dursleys until next summer. She couldn't wait to see the Weasley family again as well as Hermione, and to top it off, they were going to go to the Quidditch World Cup!

It was the early hours of the morning and she knew the Weasleys wouldn't be coming until the evening but Harri was just too excited to get back to sleep. She gave a sigh before giving up on even attempting to sleep, putting on her glasses and walking over to her desk.

On top of the small wooden table were various letters she had received over the summer. When news of Aunt Petunia putting the whole of Privet Drive on a diet for her large cousin Dudley came to light, Harri had been quick to write to her friends and she had been sent many a treat back from them. As well as the usual correspondence, she had also received several cakes for her 14th birthday the previous week.

Harri looked over to the empty owl cage on the far side of the room and gave a sad smile. She had to remind herself she was right to write to Sirius regarding the weird dream about the man named Frank being killed by Voldemort, Wormtail by his side. Harri knew it hadn't been a normal dream when she woke up and her scar was throbbing. But it had been a few days now since she sent Hedwig with her letter to her Godfather, and she was beginning to wonder if everything was okay. Scenarios of Hedwig getting caught or Sirius being back in Azkaban came to mind and it took Harri a moment to calm her fears and try and think positive. Sirius was probably just far away and it was taking Hedwig a while to find him.

Harri turned to look back to her desk and a smile came over her face when she looked over the letters she had gotten from George Weasley. The two didn't normally write to each other during the summer, Harri usually only wrote to Hagird, Ron and Hermione. But George had mentioned on the train home if she had any more prank ideas she should write to him and Fred. It took her a week but when she saw Dudley unsuccessfully try and break the lock on the biscuit tin, she had the idea of a lock that would only open with a password and would shout insults to you if you got it wrong.

Harri for some reason had only addressed the letter to George and was thrilled to find he wrote back to her. She realised though she didn't want the conversation to end and ended up asking him questions about his summer and before she knew it, the pair had exchanged multiple letters over the past few weeks. After the first few Harri began to wonder how long he would take to reply, eagerly awaiting his letters over her others. Her heart would even do a weird jolt whenever she saw his handwriting on the envelope addressed to her.

Harri looked over the letter he sent last week talking about the World Cup and how he and Fred would be coming with Ron to pick her up, another thing that made her stomach give a little flutter. George said he and Fred had a surprise for her when she visited. Harri began to imagine what it could be; images of George sweeping her up into a hug and telling her how much he had missed her….

Harri paused in her thoughts and wondered what exactly she was thinking. He was her friend and Ron's brother, like an older brother to her too. But this fantasy wasn't the first of a similar theme about her and George. Harri had to acknowledged she was starting to think of George less and less like a brother.

The teenage girl looked out the window and could see the sun was starting to rise. She quickly put all thoughts of George Weasley to the back of her mind, and instead focused on packing her case ready for her much needed departure from Privet drive.

* * *

It was now 5:30pm and the Weasleys were late. Harri was sat on the stairs, trying to drown out her Uncle in the living room ranting about how inconsiderate her friends were, when a large bang caught all their attention. Dudley came hurrying out the living room and didn't answer Harri's questions when she asked what had happened.

Harri hurried into the room and came across her Aunt and Uncle looking petrified at the boarded-up fireplace. The young witch could hear banging and scraping coming from behind the wall.

"What is it?" gasped Aunt Petunia, "what is it Vernon?"

Before her Uncle could answer though, voices from the other side of the wall could be heard, Harri had the dreadful realisation the Weasleys had come via Floo powder, to a fireplace that was covered up and had no exit.

"Ouch! Fred, no –go back, go back, there's been some kind of mistake – tell George not to – OUCH! George no, there's no room, go back quickly and tell Ron-"

"Maybe Harri can hear us, Dad – maybe she'll be able to let us out-"

There was a loud hammering of fists on the boards behind the electric fire.

"Harri? Harri can you hear us?"

The Dursleys rounded on Harri like a pair of angry wolverines.

"What is this?" growled Uncle Vernon. "What's going on?"

"It's them, but they've come by Floo powder – they can travel by fire you see but I don't think they were expecting our fireplace to be covered up." Harri tried to explain as she rushed over the wall so the Weasleys could hear her. "Mr Weasley? Fred? George?" At her calling their names she heard someone give a loud _shh_ and the banging stopped. "Hey, it's Harri. The fireplace has been blocked up so you'll need to come another way."

Harri continued to communicate through the wall to them, Mr Weasley becoming interested in the electric fire. At one point, Ron joined the already squashed group earning some pretty sarcastic remarks from the twins. Harri found herself laughing but quickly stopped when she saw the scowls on her Aunt and Uncle's faces.

Harri listened to Mr Wealsey as he told her to stand back. She did as she was instructed and before Vernon could ask what was about to happen, a large bang erupted from the fireplace.

Harri opened her eyes to see the room was now layered in dust with bits of rock lying about. Her mouth dropped opened in disbelief at what had just happened. Her Aunt was lying flat on her back having been sent flying over the coffee table. Her Uncle was quick to go after her and help her up. The pair stared, speechless at the sight of the bright red-headed family stood in the middle of the room.

The Weasleys looked around and the group erupted into smiles when they manged to find Harri stood by the sofa. At the sight of them, Harri found her mouth forming a smile, wanting to laugh at the absurdity of it all. She could tell Ron had grown again and was now taller than the twins, both of who were still tall but slightly shorter and stockier compared to their younger brother. Harri herself had had a growth spurt over the summer but reckoned she would still only reach the bottom of Ron's head now. She tried not to pay attention to the flutter in her stomach when she caught George's eye.

"That's better," panted Mr Weasley, brushing dust from his long green robes and straightening his glasses. "Ah - you must be Harri's Aunt and Uncle."

Mr Weasley held his hand out to the Dursleys but Harri wasn't surprised when her Aunt and Uncle made no move to shake it. Petunia had seemed to enter a state of shock as she surveyed her once pristine living room, now covered in a fine layer of dust and bits of rumble on the floor.

"Er – yes – sorry about that," Mr Weasley said lowering his hand and looking over his shoulder at the blasted fireplace. He went on to explain why they had chosen to come via Floo powdered and he had managed to get Privet Drive linked just for today. For all the Durselys cared he could have been speaking in Parseltongue by the way they were staring at him.

Mr Weasley thankfully turned the attention back to Harri and asked about her trunk. She told them it was all packed and ready to go upstairs.

"We'll get it," said Fred at once. As he and George walked past her, George sent her a wink and Harri could tell by the heat in her face, she was blushing quite heavily. By the way they were looking around as they left the room Harri had a feeling the pair wanted to spot Dudley, having heard a lot about her cousin from her.

Mr Weasley tried to make small talk, asking questions about the electricity in the house but the Dursleys were refusing to answer. Ron and Harri shared a quick look before both had to turn away to avoid laughing out loud.

The sound of her trunk being carried down the stairs seemed to scare Dudley in to coming back into the living room. Harri answered Mr Weasley's questions and introduced Dudley to him, again having to avoid looking at Ron as she knew she would laugh if she saw his expression.

The twins came back into the room with all her stuff. They glanced around as they entered and spotted Dudley. Their faces cracked into identical, evil grins.

"Ah right," said Mr Weasley. "Better get cracking then." He pushed up his sleeves of his robes and took out his wand. Harri saw the Dursleys draw back against the wall. " _Incendio."_ Flames rose from the fireplace once more. Mr Weasley held out a small drawstring bag, which Harri guessed contained Floo powder. "Off you go then Fred."

"Coming," said Fred. "Oh no – hang on-"

A bag of sweets had spilled out of Fred's pocket and the contents were now rolling in every direction. He scrambled around. Cramming them back into his pocket, then gave the Dursleys a cheery wave, stepped forward and walked right into the fire. In a moment, he was gone.

George was next. Harri came forward and helped him carrying her trunk to the fireplace. She tried to ask with a look about what the whole thing with the sweets was, but he just sent her a mischievous grin back. Harri thought he looked rather handsome when he smiled like that.

Ron was quick to follow George, leaving Harri and Mr Weasley.

"Guess I'll see you next summer," Harri gave a small smile towards her Aunt and Uncle, who merely grunted in response. She wasn't surprised though, and made her way to the fireplace.

Mr Weasley's hand on her shoulder stopped her and she turned around to see him looking at the Dursleys with amazement

"Harri said goodbye to you," he said. "Didn't you hear her?"

"It's okay Mr Weasley, I don't mind." Harri tried to tell the Weasley patriarch but he didn't want to drop the subject as easily as she did.

"You aren't going to see your niece 'til next summer," he continued with mild indignation. "Surely you're going to say goodbye?"

Harri could see fury cross Uncle Vernon's face at the idea of being schooled on politeness by Mr Weasley. But the wizard still had his wand out and Harri could see her Uncle's beady eyes dart quickly down to it.

"Goodbye then." Uncle Vernon managed to spit out.

"Bye," Harri gave a small quick smile before placing one foot into the fire. She felt the flames tickle and a comfortable warmth overcome her. However, a horrible gagging sound caused her to turn around.

Dudley's mouth was open and his eyes wide as he began to choke on his tongue which was growing ever bigger by the second. Harri could see the sweet wrapper on the floor next to him and a wicked grin spread across her features as she thought of the twins.

Mr Weasley tried his best to help but her Aunt and Uncle were having none of it. The balding wizard soon had to duck out the way as Vernon began throwing things at him to stop him getting anywhere near Dudley. When Mr Weasley suggested Harri should go ahead, she didn't need to be told twice and was quick to send herself off to the Burrow.

Harri landed on her backside but didn't care as she was laughing too hard at the image of Dudley's tongue swelling to a size it could no longer stay in his mouth and was nearly touching the floor.

"I'm guessing your cousin went for it then?" George asked as he held out a hand to her and helped her up. Harri hoped no one noticed the way her cheeks flushed for a brief moment.

"You left a sweet lying around, of course he went for it," Harri said, smiling at him. "What was that?"

"Ton-Tongue Toffee," Fred said brightly from the kitchen table. He was sat with Ron and two older men. If Harri had to take a guess, she would say they were Ron's oldest brothers Bill and Charlie.

The two older red-heads were quick to come introduce themselves and Harri was right they were the two Weasley children she had yet to meet. Bill was a curse breaker for Gringotts and his seemed the epitome of cool. Charlie on the other hand, had a more relaxed look, his hands rough from working with dragons.

"That wasn't funny Fred!" Mr Weasley shouted. Harri tried not to jump up in fright having not expected him to appear out of thin air. "What on earth did you give that Muggle boy?"

"I didn't give him anything," Fred pointed out with an evil grin. "I just _dropped_ it…it was his fault he went and ate it, I never told him to."

"You dropped it on purpose!" Roared Mr Weasley, Harri had never seen him this angry. "You knew he'd eat it, you knew he was on a diet-"

"How big did his tongue get?" George asked eagerly.

"It was four-foot-long before his parents would let me shrink it!"

Harri couldn't help but laugh along with the other Weasley children in the room. The image of Dudley stuck with such an enormous tongue was conjured in her mind and she was upset she had been so quick to leave now.

"It _isn't funny!"_ Mr Weasley continued. "That sort of behaviours seriously undermines Wizard-Muggle relations! I spend half my life campaigning against the mistreatment of Muggles, and my own sons-"

"We didn't give it to him because he's a Muggle," Fred said indignantly.

"No, we gave it to him because he's a great bullying git," said George, "isn't he Harri?"

"He really is Mr Weasley," Harri said earnestly. "Last week, for three days the only food I had to eat was my dinner after Dudley kept stealing my lunch and breakfast off me."

Mr Weasley gave her a sympathetic smile but he was not swayed. "I'm sorry that happened Harri but two wrongs don't make a right. Wait until your mother hears about-"

"Hears about what?" Mrs Weasley asked as she walked into the kitchen. Behind her, Ginny and Hermione appeared sending Harri wide smiles when they saw her.

The was a tense moment in the kitchen as Mrs Weasley waited for her answer. By the look on Mr Weasley's face, he had had no intention of sharing what had happened with Mrs Weasley. Sensing an argument was about to break out, Hermione suggested Ron show Harri to where she would be staying.

Harri could hear Mrs Weasley shouting at the twins all the way at the top of the burrow when she was in Ron's room with Hermione and Ginny. Ron had been a bit embarrassed when he told Harri he would be staying in his room because Hermione was with Ginny and Charlie and Bill were in Charlie's room together. Harri didn't mind though and said after sleeping in a cupboard under the stairs for 11 years, everything was an upgrade. What she was more interested to hear was what Fred and George had been up to, and what exactly Weasley Wizard Wheezes was.

* * *

Harri was sat by the fireplace in the burrow, twirling her newly cut hair around her finger. Bill had been grateful to her over dinner when she distracted Mrs Weasley's quest to cut his, by offering her own up to her. The Weasley matriarch had been more than willing to style it, and this year Harri asked for the raven locks to be cut to just above her shoulders. The thick pieces of hair couldn't decide if they want to be straight or curly, some would called them unruly but Harri liked her hair just the way it was. For her hair was something she shared with her father and she wouldn't change that for the world.

Hermione and Ginny had already headed to bed and Ron was sat in a corner playing chess with Charlie. No doubt Percy was rambling on about his cauldron bottoms to Mr or Mrs Weasley. Harri looked around to look for the twins and found George sat by himself working on something.

It was strange Harri thought, to find one without the other. Harri found herself moving without thinking, to join him, an odd desire of wanting to be in his company.

"So," Harri said as she sat down, a soft smile on her face. George looked up and began trying to hide the parchment from view, before realising it was Harri. His demeanour relaxed as the younger girl sat next to him, and a small smile came across his face. "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, huh?"

"Who told you?" George asked, with a little apprehension in his voice.

"Ron and Ginny," Harri answered. "Guess those Ton-Toffee's were the surprise you talked about in your letter."

"Yeah, what did you think?" George asked, eagerness in his eyes. "I mean, you did inspire them after all, coming up with the ingenious idea of pranks hidden as sweets."

"I loved it." Harri said honestly, a hint of blush in her cheeks from his compliment. "You shouldn't admit it was my idea though, I might ask for a percentage of the profits."

"So you think we can sell them?"

"Think? George, I've been telling you and Fred for years you should charge for your services," Harri said with a bright smile. "I think Weasley's Wizard Wheezes is going to be fantastic!"

Relief swept across George's features and Harri had the sad thought this must be the first time someone apart from him and Fred, had had belief in their dream.

"Where is Fred anyway?" Harri asked, looking around but seeing no sign of him.

"Upstairs writing a letter to Angelina." George nodded his head in the direction of their room. "The two have been writing nonstop all summer so far."

"He asked her out yet? Or still pining in secret?" Harri asked. Neither one realised they were sat in a corner in their own little world.

"I'm afraid my twin has yet to gather the courage to ask," George replied. "No matter how many times I tell him she would say yes if he asked."

"I'm sure by the end of the year you'll have found a way to get them together," Harri gave George's shoulder a playful nudge with her own.

"Oh I already have several plans ready to go," George sent her a smirk and Harri found her lips automatically smiling back.

The two fell in a comfortable silence as they both watched Ron take out the last of Charlie's chess pieces to win the game. Harri went to open her mouth to say something when Mrs Weasley came bustling into the room, grabbing all their attentions.

"Right, off to bed with you all," She said with a stern voice but Harri could see the smile in her eyes. "You'll be up early in the morning and you all need a good night's sleep."

"See you in the morning," Harri said to George before heading up the stairs, Ron right behind her.

Once in Ron's room, the pair quickly found themselves in their beds.

"What were you and George talking about?" Ron asked but Harri could tell from his voice he was about to fall asleep.

"Nothing really," Harri shrugged, her own eyes starting to feel tired.

The gentle breathing in the room signalled Ron had indeed fallen asleep. With her eyes closed Harri was quick to follow her friend, the smiling face of George Weasley the last image she thought of before sinking into a deep slumber.

* * *

**Hello Everyone**

**Thank you for all your** **kind comments as well as kudos and subscriptions.**

**I'm afraid I may not be able to post next weekend due to a friend visiting, I will try and post however may be a two week wait.**

**Hope you're staying safe out there guys!**

**Vex**


	18. Pretty Boy Cedric

Harri gave a large yawn as she listened to Mr Weasley explained how all the wizards would be arriving at the World Cup to avoid detection by muggles. Her eyes kept glancing to the twins ahead of them who were in foul moods after their products were seemingly thrown in the bin following Mrs Weasley summoning them out of their pockets.

She listened intently as Mr Weasley described all the ways magic could allow people to travel, already planning what she would do when she passed the test to apparate. At some point Hermione asked a question and Harri took the moment to slip from the conversation and quicken her pace to catch the twins up.

"Morning," Harri said, giving them a small smile but she merely got half-hearted nods in response. She had never seen the pair like this before, it would appear they were still processing the fight with their mother. George looked to be dejected while Fred's jaw was set in a hard line illustrating his anger. "Dare I ask how long it took you to make all those sweets?"

"6 months," Fred spat, a scowl in his features. "I can't believe she just threw them all away."

"Was that your whole stock?" George shot her a look to say _yes_ , "What were you doing with it all in your pockets?"

"We thought mum might go snooping around our room when we left so it would be safer to take them with us," George answered.

"We were gonna see what we could sell at the camp site as well," Fred muttered, "I can't believe she did that."

"That was silly of you hiding all of them in your clothes," Harri said, ignoring the dirty looks that were sent her way.

"Gee Harri, you don't say!" Fred asked, voice heavy with sarcasm.

"Where was this brilliant advice this morning before we left?" George also asked with bitterness in his voice.

"Well if you're going to be rude to me, I guess you don't want any of these back then, do you?" Harri opened her hand to reveal the golden wrapped sweets that lay in her palm. The twins stopped in their tracks, dumbfounded at what they were seeing. Harri kept walking though, and shoved her hand back in her pocket. "Or any of the other ones I have in my jumper."

The pair quickly caught back up and walked along either side of her.

"How did you get them?" Fred asked astounded.

"Oh no you two have made it clear you don't want my help," Harri pointed out, fake hurt at their outburst.

"Come off it Harri, how did you get them?" George asked.

"When your mum was saying good bye to your dad, I bent down to tie my shoe lace by the bin….and I may have grabbed what I could out of the rubbish when no one was looking." Harri shrugged, with a hint of a smirk on her lips. She quickly checked over her shoulder to make sure Mr Weasley wasn't looking, before passing the sweets she had back to the twins. "That's all I could manage."

"Thanks Harri, you're amazing!" George gave her a large smile as he pocketed the sweets she handed back over to him. Harri could feel the heat in her cheeks as no doubt her pale skin began to tinge red.

"How can we ever repay you?" Fred asked next.

"No need," Harri shrugged the suggestion off. "Firstly the fantastic image of dear cousin Dudley with a gigantic tongue is repayment already, but secondly your mum is to never find out how you got those sweets back. Unlike Ron, I like the jumpers she makes for me at Christmas and I don't want to risk not getting one."

"Risk what?"

"You didn't give us anything," George followed after Fred, giving her a wink. The trio shared a laugh before their attention turned to discussing the upcoming match. Now the twins had their products returned to them, they were in a much better mood.

Before long, Harri found herself at the top of a hill trying to catch her breath after the walk up. She could see the sun was just starting to rise in the distance. She joined in the search for the Portkey but truth be told, Harri didn't think she would be able to spot it even if it was right under her nose.

"Over here Arthur! Over here, son, we've got it!"

Harri looked over to where the voice had come from to see two tall figures silhouetted against the sky. In one of their hands was an old boot, which they put down on the ground before walking over to them.

"Amos!" said Mr Weasley, smiling as he strode over to the man who had shouted and meeting them halfway. The rest of the group followed.

As they got closer Harri recognised the second figure as Cedric Diggory, an older boy in Hufflepuff who Harri had on occasion spoken to. After the incident with the Dementors in her third year, Cedric had come to find her to see if she was okay. Since then the two had shared the odd conversation in Hogwarts but nothing more than a few minutes long.

"This is Amos Diggory, everyone," said Mr Weasley. "Works for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. And I think you know his son, Cedric?"

In the rising sun, Harri found herself staring at the older boy, never realising before how handsome he was. By the looks on Hermione and Ginny's faces, they too were gawking, captivated by his looks.

"Hi," Cedric said, looking around them all. The sound of his voice seemed to snap Harri out of staring, and she gave him a large smile.

"Hi Cedric," Harri said. She could hear the others in group say similar things apart from the twins. The two had never truly forgiven Hufflepuff for their win at the start of last year.

"Have a good summer Harri?" Cedric said, stepping next to her while the rest of the group listened to Amos and Arthur chat. Despite being in the twins' year, Cedric had clearly worked out his company would be more welcomed by the raven-haired witch.

"Nothing special, really looking forward to the World Cup though. You?" Harri answered. Cedric opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by his father.

"Merlin's beard," Amos cried. Harri turned to look at the older man and immediately regretted it. She recognised the look on his face after so many years in the Wizarding world and it was leading to a conversation she always hated. "Harriet? Harriet Potter?"

"Dad she prefers Harri," Cedric muttered to his dad. The teenage witch wasn't listening though. Instead her hand had subconsciously gone to flattening her fringe to ensure the distinctive lightening shaped scar on her forehead was hidden. Amos's eyes though had already flicked up, just like everyone who recognised her. All were trying to catch a glimpse of the famous mark left behind by Voldemort.

"Ced's talked about you of course," Amos continued. "Told us all about playing against you last year…I said to him, I said- Ced, that'll be something to tell your grandchildren, that will… _you beat Harriet Potter!_

Harri found her mind was unable to come up with a response, so perplexed by Mr Diggory's comment. She could see Ron by her side was showing indignation for the both of them, and the twins were scowling again.

"Harri fell off her broom Dad," Cedric said. "I told you…it was an accident…"

"Yes, but _you_ didn't fall off, did you?" Roared Amos genially, slapping his son on his back. "Always modest, our Ced, always the gentleman, especially when there's a pretty girl involved." Harri felt her face go as bright red as the Weasley's hair, Cedric didn't notice though because his head was in hands with his own embarrassment. "But the best player won, I'm sure Harriet'd say the same, wouldn't you, eh? One falls off their broom, one stays on, you don't need to be a genius to tell which one's the better flier!"

"You're right, Cedric was the better flier that day," Harri found herself saying, Cedric's hands came away from his face to give her a confused look. She could hear the Weasley's were holding their breath wondering what she was about to say next. "Though I really hope his defining achievement isn't beating a 13 year old girl at Quidditch."

She heard the snickers of the Weasley children at her comment while Hermione's face held a smirk. Amos's mouth had popped open, aghast at what Harri had said.

"And please, call me Harri." She sent him a sickly-sweet smile before walking past him and over to where the Portkey was. For a moment, she wondered if she had gone too far, speaking without thinking yet again. But the reactions on the Weasley children's faces made it worth it. All of them had bright smiles on their faces, trying to contain their laughter.

Harri could hear Mr Weasley talking quietly to Amos, trying to smooth things over while also trying to gather everyone else around the Portkey. Like the rest of her companions, she placed a finger on the old boot not really sure what to expect. Suddenly Harri felt a tugging sensation at her bully button, the world swirling around her, when she abruptly dropped to the ground and landed on something semi soft.

She looked up to see said semi-soft thing was actually George.

"Oh I'm so sorry, are you okay?" Harri said quickly as she scrambled up and held a hand out to him.

"Can see why you fell off that broom, being that heavy," George joked once stood up. Harri gave a small laugh as she lightly punched him on the arm.

A wizard from the Ministry had now joined the group, his name was Basil. Like the rest, Harri followed Basil as he led them to their campsite. She hung towards the back of the group with Ron and Hermione, thinking it best she left Mr Diggory at the front with Mr Weasley to avoid her saying anything she shouldn't again.

"I did tell him you fell of the broom, I swear," A voice said from next to her. Harri looked up to see Cedric had dropped back to talk to her.

From the corner of her eye, Harri could see Ron's mouth open to respond but he was silenced by Hermione tugging him forward to leave Harri alone with Cedric.

"I believe you," Harri told him with a small smile. "I'm sorry about being rude to your dad, sometimes I say things without thinking."

"It's okay, I actually agree with you. I do hope I tell my grandchildren something more than beating a teenage girl at Quidditch." Cedric gave her a small smile of his own.

"Even if she's a pretty one?" Harri found herself teasing. Cedric gave a loud moan/laugh as he shook his head.

"I still can't believe he said that," Cedric groaned. "I swear all parents want to do is just embarrass their kids."

"I wouldn't know," Harri said with a sad look. She felt Cedric immediately still beside her.

"Oh Harri I'm really sorry, that was insensitive of me and-"

Harri burst into laughter watching his reaction, the pair continuing to walk to keep up with the group.

"Cedric I'm joking with you," Harri said through her laughter and the relief was obvious on Cedric's face. "If you don't think Ron has stumbled into many a comment about parents like that since I've known him, then you would be an idiot. Plus, I'm pretty sure Malfoy has used all the dead parent/orphan insults with me already. I'm looking forward to seeing if he's finally got some new ones this year."

"Yeah he's a bit of git that one," Cedric remarked, causing them both to chuckle. "It really doesn't bother you?"

Harri paused for a moment, thinking over her answer before she gave it.

"It used to," she answered, honestly. "When I was younger, but ever since I came to Hogwarts, not so much."

"I don't know how you do it, everyone knowing who you are. Getting reactions like my dad today."

"Well you can tell me how you handle it when you're a famous Quidditch player seeing as you're such a good flier," Harri joked causing Cedric to laugh. The group ahead were starting to slow down and Harri had a feeling the two families were about to part ways.

"Yeah, that's not going to happen. I don't want to be a professional player."

"What do you want to do?"

"I'm not sure, though I think I'll end up in the Ministry, like my dad." Cedric gave a shrug.

"That didn't answer the question of what _you_ want to do," Harri pointed out.

"Ced!" The sound of Amos's voice at the front of the group broke their conversation. The pair looked up to see the older wizard moving his head backwards indicating the Diggory's were to carry on while the Weasley's with Hermione and Harri, were to stay.

"Well I guess I'll see you at school, hope you enjoy the match." Cedric said to Harri with a large smile.

"Same to you, and you better get your practice in for our rematch. You know Gryffindor will win, especially with my firebolt."

"Ah but only if you stay on your broom," Cedric pointed out a cheeky smile making Harri laugh. She waved after him as he and his Dad walked off to the next field.

Harri and Hermione helped Mr Weasley with the muggle money he was trying to pay the landowner with, the two teenagers sharing amused smiles at the situation. The group were further entertained when another Ministry official popped in and began complaining about all the Wizard activity they were having to keep secret from the Muggle land owners. The wizard looked as if he were about to collapse from exhaustion from all the apparating he had been made to do as a result.

As the group walked to the site to pitch their tent, Harri found herself walking with Ron and Hermione again.

"You and Diggory looked cosy," Rom remarked with a tinge of bitterness. "Since when were you friends with him?"

"We chatted a few times over the last year at Hogwarts," Harri defended herself.

"I can't believe the prick told his dad he beat you. We all know if it hadn't been for those Dementors you would have out flown him like every other day of the week." Ron grumbled along.

"Ron you heard Cedric," Hermione chimed in. "He told his dad what happened but Mr Diggory formed his own version of events."

"Yeah Cedric was apologising for his dad actually, when he came to talk to me," Harri said.

"Fine but I still don't like his dad," Ron stated. His lips then began to stretch into a smile as he remembered the morning's events. "Oh Harri it was brilliant when you spoke back to him. I wish I had a camera to take a picture and get him pulling that face forever!"

"Mr Diggory is quite a loud man, isn't he?" Hermione remarked, trying not to be out right rude but Harri could tell both her friends had not been impressed by the older wizard.

"He's just proud of Cedric I guess," Harri said with a shrug. "I was more annoyed by the fact he kept calling me Harriet to be honest."

"You would think word would have spread more that you prefer Harri," Hermione mused out loud.

"He'll learn it pretty quickly when he hears all about you smashing Hufflepuff at Quidditch this year," Ron said with 100% confidence in his house's sporting ability. "Maybe then pretty boy Diggory won't have as many girl admirers."

"Why Ron, I didn't know you harboured such feelings for Cedric," Harri teased causing a small laugh to erupt from Hermione's mouth. Ron's response was for his ears to start turning the same colour as his hair.

* * *

**Apologies for the late update today - 12 hour shift at work, yuck!**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. There may be a delay in next week's chapter as I'm afraid work has gotten the better of me and I haven't been able to keep my writing pace up. I hope to upload next weekend but there may be a delay while I write more chapters.**

**Stay safe out there guys, wash your hands!**

**Vex**


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